Tom Emmer is an American attorney and politician who has served as majority whip in the United States House of Representatives since 2023.
A member of the Republican Party, he has represented Minnesota’s 6th congressional district since 2015.
Emmer was the House Republican Conference’s third nominee for the October 2023 Speaker of the House election, after Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan either withdrew or failed to garner the votes needed; he subsequently withdrew himself from the race four hours after being nominated.
Before his election to Congress, Emmer served three terms as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011.
He lost the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election to Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party nominee Mark Dayton by less than half a percentage point.
Emmer was elected to Congress in 2014, winning the 6th district seat being vacated by Michele Bachmann.
He has since been reelected four times. The district includes the far western and northern suburbs of Minneapolis in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, most of the St. Cloud metropolitan area, as well as a large part of rural Central Minnesota, generally an agricultural region.
Emmer chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2019 to 2023.
After Republicans gained a majority in the 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections, he successfully ran for majority whip.
Emmer initially cast doubt on the 2020 presidential election results, baselessly asserting that certain states used “questionable” practices in administering the vote.
After signing an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit seeking to contest the outcome in key swing states, Emmer ultimately voted to certify the Electoral College vote count.
Who is Tom Emmer?
Tom Emmer was born Thomas Earl Emmer Jr in South Bend, Indiana. His family later moved to Edina, Minnesota.
He attended St. Thomas Academy, an all-male, Catholic, military, college-preparatory high school in Mendota Heights, near Saint Paul.
Emmer attended Boston College and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, graduating from the latter in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
He played hockey for both schools. In 1988, Emmer received a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Here are some highlights of his career:
Tom Emmer was a trial attorney before founding his own law firm. He also served on the city councils of Independence and Delano in Minnesota.
Emmer was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and served there until 2010. He ran for governor in 2010 but lost to Democrat Mark Dayton by a narrow margin.
Emmer was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, succeeding former Rep. Michele Bachmann. He has since been reelected four times.
Emmer chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2019 to 2023, helping Republicans regain the majority in the House in the 2022 midterm elections.
Emmer became the speaker nominee for the House Republicans in October 2023, after Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan withdrew or failed to get enough votes.
He later withdrew himself from the race four hours after being nominated.
Emmer is known for his conservative views on issues such as abortion, gun rights, immigration, and health care.
He has supported former President Donald Trump in the past, though he did not earn Trump’s endorsement for speaker.
He was one of only two candidates who voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results.
About Tom Emmer’s Wife
Tom Emmer is married to Jacqueline Emmer. They have been married since 1986 and have seven children together.
Jacqueline Emmer is a former teacher and a homemaker who supports her husband’s political career.
She has also been involved in various community and charitable activities, such as serving on the board of directors of the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.
About Tom Emmer’s Children
Tom Emmer and his wife Jacqueline have seven children, who are all adults now. Their names are Tripp, Jack, John, Grace, Annie, Billy, and Johnny.
They have raised their children in a Catholic faith and have sent them to Catholic schools.
Some of their children have followed their father’s footsteps into politics or law.
For example, Tripp Emmer is a lawyer and a former legislative assistant to Rep. Erik Paulsen.
Jack Emmer is a political consultant and a former campaign manager for his father3. John Emmer is a legislative correspondent for Sen. Ted Cruz.
Some of their children have pursued other careers or interests. For example, Grace Emmer is a nurse and a mother of two.
Annie Emmer is a singer-songwriter and a graduate of Berklee College of Music.
Billy Emmer is a hockey coach and a former player for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
Johnny Emmer is a student at the University of Minnesota and an avid golfer.
About Tom Emmer’s Parents
Tom Emmer’s parents are Thomas Earl Emmer Sr. and Pasty Emmer. They are both from South Bend, Indiana, where Tom was born on March 3, 1961. Tom is the oldest of their four children.
About Tom Emmer’s Siblings
Tom Emmer has three siblings: Tim, Terri, and Tammy. They are all younger than him and were born in South Bend, Indiana, where Tom was born.
About Tom Emmer’s Family
Tom Emmer has a large and happy family. Here is a list of their names:
- Spouses: Jacqueline Emmer.
- Children: Katie Emmer, Bobby Emmer, Tripp Emmer, Jack Emmer, Johnny Emmer, Joey Emmer, Billy Emmer.
- Mother: Pasty Emmer.
- Father: Thomas Earl Emmer Sr.
- Siblings: Tim, Terri, and Tammy.
About Tom Emmer Net worth
Tom Emmer is an American politician who has a net worth of $300,000. Tom Emmer has not released a financial disclosure since 2018. In that disclosure Emmer estimated his net worth to be $32,000.
That was the lowest his net worth had been in all of his disclosures ranging from 2013 – 2018 and made him the 315th richest member of Congress.
His 2013 disclosure estimated his net worth to be $515,000. The next year it dropped to $440,000, followed by $165,000 and then $32,000 in both 2017 and 2018.
Emmer’s financial disclosure showed his two largest assets as of 2018 were a rental property in Delano, Minnesota and an IRA.
He estimated the value of the the rental property at $100,000 – $300,000 and the IRA at $15,000 – $50,000. His biggest liabilities were two loans, both in the range of $100,000 – $250,000, one of which was for his primary residence.
Tom Emmer Biography
Thomas Earl Emmer Jr. was born in South Bend, Indiana on March 3, 1961. His family soon settled in Edina, Minnesota. Tom attended St. Thomas Academy, a military college prep high school.
For college he started out at Boston College but ended up finishing at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, graduating in 1984 with a degree in political science.
He then earned a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota, graduating in 1988.
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