US Rep. Tom Emmer wins seventh term, then defeats Pfluger for minority whip
The gist
US Rep. Tom Emmer won a seventh term, then beat Rep. August Pfluger for House GOP minority whip.
Republicans lost the House majority, so Emmer now leads the minority.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026With about 39% of the vote reported, Emmer led Doug Chapin 53.7% to 46.2%, with 117 of 276 precincts reporting.
- Nov 4, 2026CBS News projected Emmer defeated Democratic/DFL nominee Doug Chapin in Minnesota's 6th District, giving Emmer a seventh term by 55.7% to 44.2% — the narrowest margin of his career.
- Nov 4, 2026Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, outgoing chair of the Republican Study Committee, announced he was running for the minority whip job.
Key terms
- minority whip
- An official of a political party who ensures party discipline among legislators.
- House GOP
- The Republican Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States.
- midterms
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
Source: Wikipedia