NW Twin Cities

Tom Emmer, a U.S. Congressman representing Minnesota’s 6th district since 2015, criticized Democratic lawmakers in a series of posts on X in October 2025 for their handling of the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on Americans.

On October 20, Emmer posted, "Because Democrats have no spine or courage, the American people will suffer. SNAP benefits running out, paychecks missed, air travel impacted—just to name a few. Chuck Schumer and the Democrats have abandoned everyday Americans to bow to their far-left base."

The following day, Emmer reiterated his concerns, stating on October 21, "Not only are Democrats costing the American people $400 million per day with this shutdown, they are also threatening food assistance programs like WIC and SNAP and withholding pay from hundreds of thousands of Americans. They must end this dangerous nonsense."

Later that same day, Emmer posted, "Democrats admit they would have the votes to open the government if they weren’t 'terrified of getting the guillotine' from their far-left base. While these cowardly political elites in the defunct Democrat party play political games in DC, real Americans are getting hurt."

Emmer’s statements come amid a prolonged federal government shutdown that has affected public services and left many Americans without pay or access to assistance programs. Emmer, who succeeded Michele Bachmann in Congress and previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011, has been vocal about his criticism of Democratic leadership during this period. He was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1961 and currently resides in Delano. Emmer holds a BA from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and a JD from William Mitchell College of Law.