Emmer began his legal career representing cities and counties through the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and the League of Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust, handling lawsuits against police officers. He also represented volunteer firefighters and city and county inspectors, and handled a variety of land use issues. He was licensed to practice law in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.[11]
In 2004, incumbent Republican State Representative Dick Borrell of Minnesota's House District 19B decided to retire. District 19B included portions of Wright and Hennepin Counties and the cities of Otsego, Albertville, St. Michael, Rockford, Delano, Montrose, and Waverly.[9] Emmer, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat Lori M. Schmidt, an attorney, 60%–40%, in the November 2004 general election.[12]
In 2006, Emmer won reelection to a second term with 61% of the vote.[13] In 2008, he was reelected to a third term with 61% of the vote.[14] In 2010, he chose to run for governor of Minnesota rather than seek reelection.
During legislative sessions, Emmer regularly rode the bus to the Minnesota State Capitol.[15] Emmer served on the Finance Committee, the Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee, and the State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Committee. He was also a member of the Finance Subcommittee for the Health Care and Human Services Finance Division, and of the Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight Subcommittee for the Licensing Division.[9]
2010 gubernatorial election
Candidate Tom Emmer wearing an "Emmer for Governor" shirt in 2010
Emmer officially announced his candidacy for governor of the State of Minnesota in July 2009.[16][17] In January 2010, Emmer came in second to Marty Seifert in a non-binding straw poll of Republican Party caucus participants.[18] In April 2010, Emmer announced that his running mate would be Metropolitan Council member Annette Meeks. Emmer received the endorsements of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin,[19] Governor Tim Pawlenty, and Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau.[20] On April 30, 2010, the Republican Party of Minnesota officially endorsed Emmer as its candidate for governor at the state convention in Minneapolis. His main opponent, Marty Seifert, withdrew from the race and endorsed Emmer when it became apparent that Emmer was nearing the threshold for party endorsement. On August 10, 2010, Emmer won the Republican primary with 82% of the vote, a 75-point margin over Bob Carney.[21][22]
The race attracted national attention as the "first case in this election cycle of a company hit by national protests over a campaign donation".[23] Minnesota-based Target Corporation donated $150,000 to Minnesota Forward, a new political action committee paying for advertising that supported Emmer's gubernatorial election.[24] Emmer said he viewed Target's donation as an exercise in free speech and wanted to keep his campaign focused on economic issues.[25]Best Buy also donated $100,000 to Minnesota Forward.[26]
The general election was contested by Emmer, former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton (DFL), and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner. Emmer trailed Dayton by 9,000 votes in the general election results, a margin small enough to trigger an automatic recount. Most analysts felt it was unlikely that the Emmer campaign could overcome such a deficit in a recount.[27] After the recount made little difference, Emmer conceded the election on December 8, 2010.[28]
Post-2010 election activities
Emmer was a registered lobbyist in Minnesota,[29] and co-hosted a morning talk radio program with Bob Davis on KTLK in Minneapolis.
Upon the surprise retirement of U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann, announced in May 2013, Emmer was considered a possible candidate for the Sixth Congressional District seat; his state house district included a large slice of the congressional district's western portion.[32] On June 5, 2013, Emmer officially announced he would seek the Republican nomination for the seat.[33] On February 4, 2014, Emmer received 67.9% of the vote in a 6th district straw poll.[34][35] On April 12 he received the Republican Party endorsement for the nomination on the first ballot with 76%, but he still faced a primary challenge from his two competitors, Anoka County Board Chairwoman Rhonda Sivarajah and former state representative Phil Krinkie.[36] Emmer was endorsed by the Tea Party Express, Young Americans for Liberty's Liberty Action Fund, and many Minnesota legislators.[37][38] He won the primary with 73% of the vote, and easily prevailed in the November general election.
In October 2020, after it was determined that Emmer had interacted with individuals who tested positive for coronavirus in Washington D.C., such as Donald Trump, Emmer flew on a Delta flight in violation of the airline's rules, potentially exposing the other passengers to the virus.[43]
On May 19, 2021, Emmer and the other seven Republican House leaders voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol Complex. Thirty-five House Republicans and all 217 Democrats present voted to establish such a commission.[44][45]
In August 2021, Emmer released a statement about the resignation of Minnesota Republican Party chair Jennifer Carnahan after her ties with donor, strategist, and convicted sex trafficker Anton Lazzaro became a national news story.[46][47] Emmer had previously received a $15,600 donation from Lazzaro, which Emmer said he would donate to charity.[48][49][50]
On November 15, 2022, after Republicans gained the House majority, Emmer was elected Majority Whip. He won what was reportedly the conference's closest race, beating Drew Ferguson on the first ballot and Jim Banks on the second by a 115–106 vote.[51][52]
On October 20, 2023, it was reported that Emmer was considering a bid for Speaker of the House and making calls to gather support. He has been endorsed by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who said, "He is the right person for the job. He can unite the conference. He understands the dynamics of the conference. He also understands what it takes to win and keep a majority."[53] On October 24, the Republican conference nominated Emmer for the speaker candidateship, but he dropped out the same day following opposition from hardliners and former president Donald Trump.[54] He was replaced by Mike Johnson, who later won the speakership.[55]
In 2009, Emmer voted against legislation to prohibit sales of any children's product containing Bisphenol-A (except for used children's products).[64][65] He said he voted against the law because of fear of "increased costs." "As well-intentioned as people may be," he said, "they don't think about what this vote means five steps down the line".[66]
Bullying
During an October 9, 2010, televised debate, Emmer said he would oppose legislation to combat school bullying against gay and lesbian young people. Emmer, who voted against anti-bullying legislation as a state lawmaker, said that teachers are most responsible for halting bullies, but suggested that the threat of lawsuits keeps them from doing so. "I don't think we need more laws; I think we need more understanding," he said.[67]
Emmer co-sponsored a 2022 nonbinding resolution in support of domestic oil and gas production, which did not pass. The proposal urged the House to "support the safe and responsible development of its energy resources via drilling".[69]
The environmental advocacy League of Conservation Voters has given Emmer a lifetime score of 5%, the lowest in Minnesota's congressional delegation. Recent votes improved his 2021 score to 21%, compared to the U.S. House average of 57%.[70]
Copper nickel mining in northern Minnesota
In 2018, Emmer supported two copper nickel mines in the Superior National Forest.[71]As of 2019[update], they were planned by Polymet, which is owned by Switzerland-based mining giant Glencore, and Twin Metals, which is owned by Antofagasta, a Chilean mining company controlled by the Luksics, one of Chile's wealthiest families.[72]
When the Department of Interior did not list copper or nickel as two of 35 "critical minerals" essential to national security in 2018, Emmer released a press release of a letter he wrote to Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke requesting that copper and nickel be included.[73]
Emmer and Representative Pete Stauber both stood beside Assistant Secretary of the Interior Joseph Balash as he signed leases permitting Twin Metals to explore a large area of national forest land nine miles southeast of Ely for copper-nickel reserves on May 15, 2019. The Obama administration had mothballed the lease renewal pending an environmental review, but Twin Metals is now in possession of a 10-year lease to explore the area, with a view toward opening a mine there.[74]
Cryptocurrency and digital assets
Tom Emmer is an outspoken proponent of cryptocurrency and digital assets.[75] He introduced the bipartisan Securities Clarity Act in an effort to establish regulatory clarity for digital assets.[76] In March 2023, after the collapse of crypto-friendly Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank, he cosigned a bipartisan letter to FDIC Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg inquiring about the alleged weaponization of banking instability to purge legal crypto companies from the banking system.[77]
In June 2023, Emmer cosponsored the SEC Stabilization Act, which would effectively fire U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler.[78] The legislation was not considered likely to win Congressional approval. It was introduced a week after the SEC sued Coinbase and Binance, claiming they failed to register as a national securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency.[79]
After endorsing Donald Trump for president in 2024, Emmer said, "If the second Trump administration takes place, [the] president will be a lot more friendly to the crypto industry". Industry advocates say their efforts to develop regulations are nonpartisan.[80]
Drunk driving
In 2009, Emmer sponsored a bill that would shorten the period of license revocation for driving under the influence and for refusing to take a field sobriety test. Additionally, though "suspected drunken drivers [currently] face revocation before they go to court," Emmer's bill would have delayed revocations until after conviction.[81] Supporters of Emmer's bill said "it's needed because pre-conviction revocations penalize drivers before proving they're guilty."[82]Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the head of the Minnesota DWI task force opposed the legislation[81] because it would allow arrested drivers to continue to drive during the time between their arrest and hearing.[83]
Emmer's own history became an issue in relation to his bill.[84] At age 20, Emmer received a driving under the influence-related ticket. In 1991, at age 30, he pleaded guilty to careless driving while two charges for DWI and a license-plate violation were dropped.[81] Emmer denied that his own drunk driving and legal consequences played a part in the bill, stating, "We all come to the Legislature with life experiences, but it has nothing to do with this bill."[81] Emmer also said that his sentence in 1981 should have been harsher, because in that case he "probably wouldn't have taken the second chance" that led to his subsequent arrests and guilty plea in 1991.[85]
On May 13, 2010, Emmer was one of three legislators not to vote on a bill that would have provided such tougher penalties for drunk drivers. He said he missed the vote when a previously scheduled lunch ran long, and that he had "no idea" how he would have voted on the bill, but that he "assume[d]" he would have supported it.[86]
"Fire Pelosi" machine gun video
In an October 2022 CBS News television interview, Emmer was challenged for posting a video on Twitter that showed him firing a fully automatic machine gun with the caption "#FIREPELOSI".[87] As chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Emmer led 2022 election efforts to win a majority and replace House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The post occurred just days before the home invasion and attack on Pelosi's husband in California.
Healthcare
Emmer favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). After supporting the March 2017 version of the American Health Care Act (a bill to repeal the ACA), he voted for it on May 4, 2017, before it had been scored by the Congressional Budget Office to determine its economic impact.
Minimum wage
In 2005, as a state representative, Emmer introduced an amendment that would have eliminated Minnesota's minimum wage law.[88]
Immigration
Emmer supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to temporarily curtail immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries until better screening methods are devised, saying, "Everybody needs to take a deep breath. There is no litmus test based on religion. The administration and I understand it has — takes the seven countries identified by the Obama administration, not this administration, as the most dangerous countries when it comes to potential terrorists."[89]
Emmer has supported "conscience clause" legislation that would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense contraception on the basis of "ethical, moral or legal grounds as long as the pharmacist notifies their employer in advance and the employer can ensure a patient has timely access to the drug or device".[92]
Same-sex marriage
Emmer supported a state constitutional amendment banning civil recognition of same-sex marriage or its legal equivalent, stating, "I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman."[93] In March 2007, Emmer introduced HF 1847, an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution "recognizing as marriage or its legal equivalent only a union between one man and one woman."[94] Voters later rejected 2012 Minnesota Amendment 1.
Emmer was among 47 Republican Representatives who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[95][96]
Nullification
In 2010 Emmer sponsored an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would allow the state to nullify federal laws.[97]
Taxes
Emmer strongly opposes tax increases. He has also proposed gradually reducing the state corporate tax, with the eventual goal of repealing it altogether.[98]
House SpeakerNancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." She also reprimanded Emmer and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[103][104]
Trump felony conviction
When former president Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, Emmer said, "Democrats just pulled off the biggest sham in U.S. history".[105][106] Emmer serves as Trump's Minnesota campaign chair.[107] He joined other Republican leaders in condemning Trump's conviction[108] and appeared with other Republican leaders, promising "to use House oversight powers and other measures to target jurisdictions pursuing prosecutions of the former president."[109]
"Tip credit"
On July 5, 2010, after visiting a restaurant in St. Paul, Emmer was asked during a press conference if he supported a tip credit, the policy of allowing businesses to subtract tips from a server's hourly wage. His response was "Yes... if you didn't have a minimum wage law", adding, "somebody could be taking home well over one hundred thousand dollars as a server" while the restaurant owner could be making much less.[110][111]
One week after that press conference, Emmer announced a proposal that would exempt the first $20,000 a server makes in tips from state taxes.[112] At the same press conference a protester dumped $20 in pennies on Emmer's lap.[113]
Vote to defund vice president
On November 8, 2023, Emmer joined 100 other Republicans voting in favor of an amendment to a large appropriations bill that would prohibit funding for the Office of Vice President Kamala Harris.[114][115]
Controversies
Allegations of antisemitism
In 2019, Emmer sent a fundraising letter that critics alleged included antisemitic canards.[116] The letter claimed that "left-wing radicals essentially BOUGHT control of Congress for the Democrats" and that three Jewish billionaires (Michael Bloomberg, Tom Steyer and George Soros) "bought" control of Congress for Democrats.[117]
Emmer vigorously rejected the allegations, and numerous Republicans pushed back against them, including Matt Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition, who argued, "Firstly, Tom Steyer isn’t even Jewish; he's a practicing Episcopalian. Secondly, people can't simply be shielded from criticism because they're Jewish, not when otherwise similar people are criticized for the same exact actions. If it's fair to criticize the Kochs, like leading Democrat presidential candidates have done, then it's fair to criticize the top Democratic funders."[117]
Personal life
In 1910, Emmer's great-grandfather and his two brothers founded Emmer Brothers Lumber.[118] It is now called Viking Forest Products and is employee-owned.[119] Viking Forest Products is a subsidiary of Forest City Trading Group, one of the nation's largest wholesalers of forest products.[120]
Emmer has seven children with his wife, Jacqueline, whom he married in 1986.[11] He is a hockey player and coach.[15] Emmer is a Roman Catholic.[121]
Related Research Articles
Rodney Dwight Grams was an American politician and television news anchor who served in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. A local news anchor, Grams became well-known for working at Twin Cities station KMSP-TV from 1982 until 1991. He was a member of the Republican Party.
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the state affiliate of the Republican Party in Minnesota and the oldest active political party in the state. Founded in 1855, the party is headquartered in Edina, and the current chairman is David Hann.
Martin John "Marty" Seifert is a former Republican Minority Leader and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He represented District 21A, a predominantly rural district in southwestern Minnesota that includes portions of Lyon, Redwood and Yellow Medicine counties, and the cities of Marshall and Redwood Falls. In 2010 and 2014, he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor of Minnesota.
Erik Philip Paulsen is an American businessman and politician who represented Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009 and as majority leader from 2003 to 2007.
The 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota for a four-year term to begin in January 2011. The general election was contested by the major party candidates State Representative Tom Emmer (R–Delano), former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton (DFL), and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner. After a very close race, Dayton was elected governor. Emmer would be elected to the United States House of Representatives four years later.
Michelle Louise Helene Fischbach is an American attorney and politician who is the U.S. representative from Minnesota's 7th congressional district. The district, which is very rural, is Minnesota's largest by area and includes most of the western part of the state. A Republican, Fischbach served as the 49th lieutenant governor of Minnesota from 2018 until 2019. As of 2024, she is the last Republican to have held statewide office in Minnesota.
The 2014 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Minnesota concurrently with the election to Minnesota's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota took place in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 4, 2014, to elect Minnesota's eight representatives in the United States House of Representatives for two-year terms, one from each of Minnesota's eight congressional districts. Primary elections were held on August 12, 2014.
Jeff Johnson is an American politician. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2000 and served there from 2001 to 2007. Johnson left the legislature to run for state attorney general in 2006, but was defeated. Johnson served as a Hennepin County commissioner for the 7th district from 2009 to 2021. He was elected as the Republican National Committeeman from Minnesota in April 2011. Johnson was the Republican nominee for governor of Minnesota in 2014, losing to incumbent Democrat Mark Dayton, and again in 2018, losing to the Democratic nominee, U.S. Representative Tim Walz.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on August 9.
The 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 6, to elect the 41st Governor of Minnesota as incumbent Democratic (DFL) Governor Mark Dayton chose not to run for re-election for a third term. The Democratic nominee was U.S. Representative Tim Walz from Minnesota's 1st congressional district while the Republican Party nominated Hennepin County commissioner Jeff Johnson for a second consecutive time. The Independence Party of Minnesota did not field a candidate for the first time since 1994. Going into the election polls showed Walz ahead; the race was characterized as lean or likely DFL.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with an open gubernatorial election, a U.S. Senate election, a special U.S. Senate election, State House elections, and other elections.
Peter Allen Stauber is an American politician, former professional hockey player, and retired law enforcement officer from Minnesota serving as the United States representative for Minnesota's 8th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Stauber has represented the district since 2019.
James Lee Hagedorn was an American politician from Minnesota. A Republican, he was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district from 2019 until his death. The district stretches across southern Minnesota along the border with Iowa and includes Rochester, Austin, and Mankato.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Minnesota. Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar won a fourth term in office, defeating Republican former basketball player Royce White. Primary elections took place on August 13, 2024.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of its congressional districts. Primary elections were held in six districts on August 11. The elections coincided with the 2020 United States presidential election as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and other state and local elections.
The 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Minnesota. Incumbent Democratic (DFL) Governor Tim Walz defeated the Republican nominee, former state senator Scott Jensen, winning a second term.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the U.S. representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the 8 U.S. representatives from the state of Minnesota, one from each of the state's congressional districts. The elections coincided with the U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. Primary elections were held on August 13, 2024.
↑ Phillips, Anna; Joselow, Maxine; Montalbano, Vanessa; Mufson, Steven (January 23, 2023). "These 6 GOP leaders will shift Congress on climate". The Washington Post.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
