Rep. Tom Emmer Declines to Enter U.S. Senate Race

(KNSI) – A prominent Minnesota politician with a high national profile has seemingly taken himself out of the 2026 U.S. Senate race.

Republican U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, whose Sixth Congressional District includes St. Cloud, posted to his X account Thursday that he is “focused on doing the job I was elected to do.” He added, “We have a lot of work to do to implement President Trump’s agenda and that’s where I’m concentrating my efforts.”

While the U.S. Senate is the higher chamber with only 100 members, Emmer’s post in the U.S. House of Representatives comes with a significant amount of prestige. As majority whip, Emmer is the third-ranking member in the Republican caucus. The whip is tasked with ensuring that GOP representatives vote in support of bills pushed by leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

The 2026 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota has become more urgent in recent days after incumbent Tina Smith announced that she would not seek another term. A Democrat has held the seat since 2009.

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