Tom Emmer

Tom Emmer is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2014 and has held leadership roles including House Majority Whip. Emmer previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives and was the Republican Party of Minnesota nominee for Governor of Minnesota in 2010.

Early life and education

Thomas Earl Emmer Jr. was born in South Bend, Indiana, and grew up in a political family. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he played NCAA hockey, before earning his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His early professional life included work as an attorney and a stint as a talk radio host on AM station WWTC.

Early career

Before entering politics, Emmer practiced law in Wright County and served as a city attorney for Independence and Delano. His political career began with his election to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004, representing District 19B. During his three terms, he served on committees including the Taxation Committee and was known as a staunch fiscal conservative. In 2010, he won the Republican Party of Minnesota endorsement for governor but narrowly lost the general election to Mark Dayton of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party.

U.S. House of Representatives

Emmer was elected to the United States Congress in the 2014 election, succeeding retiring Representative Michele Bachmann in the 6th district. He quickly joined the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In 2019, he was elected Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, leading the party's House campaign efforts. Following the 2022 elections, he was elected House Majority Whip for the 118th United States Congress. He was a candidate for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives in October 2023 following the removal of Kevin McCarthy.

Political positions

Emmer is a conservative aligned with the House Republican Conference. He has a strong Americans for Tax Reform rating and opposes the Affordable Care Act. He voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results from Pennsylvania and Arizona. On foreign policy, he supports a strong stance against China, co-sponsoring the Taiwan Relations Act, and is a vocal supporter of Israel. He has introduced legislation related to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, advocating for regulatory clarity. Emmer is pro-Second Amendment and has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association.

Electoral history

In his first run for statewide office, Emmer was the Republican nominee in the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election, losing to Mark Dayton by less than one percentage point after a recount. He won the 6th district congressional seat in 2014 with 56% of the vote, defeating DFL candidate Joe Perske. He was re-elected in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, consistently winning by double-digit margins in the Republican-leaning district. His 2022 opponent was DFL candidate Jeanne Hendricks.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota Category:1961 births Category:21st-century American politicians