McCarthy, the House GOP leader, was running for Speaker of the House while attempting to create a red tsunami, but it never materialized. In a GOP-led Congress, NRCC Chair Tom Emmer was attempting to establish himself as the House Majority Whip. However, he and the committee he oversaw merely managed to secure enough seats to put someone in charge of the party. The national GOP political machine is also inextricably linked to the former president, who, prior to the election, disseminated a letter exaggerating the number of rallies, candidate endorsements, funding totals, and primary victories for which he claimed responsibility.