Former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner in multiple polls ahead of the 2024 presidential election, has won the support of every Republican leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. This includes House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Trump sweeps House GOP leadership endorsements with Rep. Tom Emmer’s backing https://t.co/5ipUqjtRlk pic.twitter.com/fG6H2rnWk0
— New York Post (@nypost) January 3, 2024
It is significant that the support includes Representative Emmer, who was opposed by Trump in his bid for House Speaker last year.
Trump had already won the support of many rank-and-file GOP House members over the past several months, so the House Leadership endorsement was likely inevitable. Key primary rivals, such as former South Carolina Gov. Nikky Haley and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have a fraction of Trump’s House support.
The near-unanimous vote of confidence for Trump in the U.S. House is a critical show of unity for the GOP as they seek to oust President Biden in 2024. Trump is the overwhelming frontrunner to win the GOP nomination, leading all other candidates by as much as 50 points. Recent national polling data has also shown Trump tied with or ahead of President Biden.
In the Electoral College, which is where the election will truly be decided, Trump is showing a lead in seven battleground states.
The support for Trump also provides vital momentum ahead of the Iowa caucuses later this month, in which Trump hopes to dominate and achieve an early elimination of his rivals.
The House endorsement is a crucial hurdle for Trump in light of the numerous criminal and civil charges he is facing. Additionally, there are efforts in multiple states — such as Maine and Colorado — to keep his name from presidential ballots on Fourteenth Amendment grounds. These efforts by Democrats show that Trump’s message is resonating with the people, not President Biden’s.
