Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer unanimously re-elected as No. 3 Republican in the U.S. House

Rep. Tom Emmer was re-elected unanimously Wednesday to his post as the No. 3 Republican in the House.

His cruise to victory for another two-year term in leadership came just a year after he was embroiled in a tumultuous battle for House speaker.

But this year, Republicans were largely unified heading into Wednesday’s House GOP leadership elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise were also both re-elected to their jobs. And Emmer faced no challengers to his bid.

“Now that we have our leadership team in place, it’s time to suit up and get to work,” Emmer said during a news conference following the leadership elections. “President Trump delivered the greatest political comeback in American history based on his proven record and promise to make this country great again. Voters also gave him a Republican Senate and a Republican House to help him do it. So now it’s our turn.”

With Republicans poised to win the House and hand Trump a trifecta in Washington, Emmer said he’s ready to get the House to pass legislation “to make life more affordable for all Americans, secure our borders, unleash American energy, restore our dominance on the world stage and lower taxes for hardworking families.”

This week, Trump has been moving quickly to fill his incoming Cabinet. The No. 4 House Republican, Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, was nominated Monday by Trump to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, which left her leadership post the only one Republicans needed to fill.

Once called a “RINO” — Republican in name only — by Trump, Emmer and the president-elect have made amends this year and the Minnesota congressman is now considered to be part of his inner circle, putting him in a prime position to be considered for a role in his Cabinet.

But when asked Tuesday if he would be interested in a Cabinet position in the Trump administration or if he’s had any conversations with the incoming president about the possibility, Emmer said he has not and is focused solely on his work in the House.

“I’m here in the House. This is where I’m going to be, and I’m planning on being the whip for the next Congress,” Emmer said in a interview on Capitol Hill. “It’s going to be a great new day without Chuck Schumer in the Senate and with Donald Trump in the White House.”

Heading into the elections, Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber said he thought Trump and Emmer would work “very good together” in the next Congress and said he was looking forward to supporting the Minnesota congressman in the leadership elections.

“I have all the confidence in him and I will be voting for him again as whip,” Stauber said.

New York GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, an assistant deputy whip, cited Emmer for being able to execute a difficult job.

“It’s been a very small majority and he’s been able to bring the different factions together,” Malliotakis said Tuesday. “It’s probably a tougher job than he thought when he signed up for it, but he’s managed it well. And not only that, even before that, as [national Republican Congressional Committee] chair, he helped deliver the majority for us. So he’s been doing a good job being a guide and supportive.”

When former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his leadership post last year, Emmer emerged as a top contender to replace him.

But not everyone was on board with his candidacy, including Trump, who, with his allies, had a hand in sinking Emmer’s ascension to speaker.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was one of the members who opposed Emmer’s speakership bid. She also attempted unsuccessfully earlier this year to oust Johnson from his leadership post.

Before the vote, Greene would not say explicitly if she would support Emmer or the other two leaders heading into the race, nor did she sound enthusiastic about the three choices.

“As far as I know, he’s the only person running,” Greene said when asked if she plans to back Emmer for whip.

Greene said it ultimately doesn’t matter who is in leadership as long as they get Trump’s agenda over the finish line.

“What I’m satisfied with is the election on Tuesday,” Greene said, referring to Election Day, when asked if she was satisfied by the three leadership choices. “I think the mandate is so big from the American people, that honestly, it doesn’t matter who’s in leadership — they better follow what the American people want.”

Senate Republicans elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as the next Senate majority leader on Wednesday. Leadership elections for House Democrats are slated for Nov. 19.