Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District is “Solid R,” as the Cook Political Report puts it, meaning it’s a strong Republican part of the state. Incumbent US Rep. Tom Emmer–who is also the US House GOP Majority Whip–has held the seat since he first took office in 2015, winning with over 60% of the vote every two years. Prior to Emmer, the district was represented by fellow Republicans Michele Bachmann and Mark Kennedy, and it’s been over 23 years since a Democrat—Bill Luther—won it.
While many Minnesotans believe this is a district that won’t be joining the anticipated “blue wave” this November, DFL challenger Doug Chapin says they just haven’t seen a strong enough candidate to challenge Emmer until now.
“A couple months ago, a guy came up to me at a parade and said, ‘I would vote for a dog before I’d vote for Tom Emmer.’ And I said, ‘You know what I can do better than that, but I will do this pass-fail.’”
-Doug Chapin, DFL candidate, Minnesota CD-6
Chapin is a nationally recognized expert on election policy and administration and attorney in Hanover. He told Courier Minnesota that the district, indeed, is changing. “We have tons of people moving out from the metro, moving in other states, young, better educated, more diverse,” he said.
Chapin believes that these new residents, existing Democrats, and Independent and Republican voters looking for something different after the 2024 election will be key to making a win possible next month.
The race so far
Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District lies in central Minnesota, covering parts of Anoka, Benton, Carver, Hennepin, Sherburne, Stearns, Ramsey, and Wright counties.
Media coverage of the CD-6 race has been lacking due to Emmer’s stronghold over the district. Chapin admits it’s “a bit frustrating,” but says he understands, given Emmer’s approach of “basically ignoring the race.”
Emmer has not been publicly seen campaigning in Minnesota and has been criticized in the past for a lack of town halls in his district. Currently, he is on a nationwide tour to support other Republican candidates seeking reelection, visiting 56 congressional districts from Oct. 4 through Election Day. Emmer’s district is not on the list.
“He has literally physically disappeared from the district,” Chapin said, “and so I’m committed, not just during the campaign, but once I get to Washington, to actually be here.”
In what would have been the only debate between the two at Minnesota Farm Fest 2026, Emmer did not show, leaving only Chapin to answer the moderator’s questions. Chapin used it as an opportunity to showcase how Emmer missing Farm Fest “wasn’t an exception” but “the latest example of a years-long pattern.”
CD-8 US Rep. Pete Stauber lit into Chapin for calling out Emmer’s absence, saying Emmer was “fighting for his damn life.” A seemingly healthy Emmer had actually appeared in a segment on FOX Business that week. The Star Tribune reported Stauber’s office clarified that Emmer was “not fighting for his life. He had a series of foot surgeries.” Emmer later confirmed this on Newsmax.
Chapin says Emmer refuses to set up a debate between them, but that doesn’t diminish his work to get voters’ attention. “We think that when people know that they have a choice, that they will be excited that they don’t have to choose Mr. Emmer,” Chapin said.
While a recent poll commissioned by Chapin shows that Emmer is up 10 points in the district, Chapin says the good news is “that’s 14 points better than my predecessor did two years ago.” He summarized that there is a sizable group of people in the district who still don’t know about him, but of the people who know his name, he says he sees the race as a tie. Unofficially, Chapin said, “the energy at the doors, in town halls, on the street really is palpable.”
What sets Chapin apart from Emmer
Despite this being his first run for a political position, Chapin has years of experience with the legislative process and government. He’s worked as an attorney on Capitol Hill and lobbied for Congress on military and overseas voting. “I know how government works top to bottom, and I don’t see that from Tom Emmer,” Chapin said.
Chapin applauds Emmer for his fundraising efforts in the past, for both his own campaign and Republicans nationally, alluding that this is the reason why he is GOP Majority Whip. On the other hand, he criticizes his record as a “rabble-rouser.”
Emmer is known for inappropriate comments and outbursts, like telling Somalis to “go the hell back to where they came from” and shouting at other members of Congress. Chapin said voters in the district want someone “that’s not only gonna show up and stand behind their votes,” but “think before they speak.”
Congressional priorities
Chapin brings a progressive view similar to other Minnesota DFL candidates this year, like Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan for US Senate and Matt Little for CD-2.
He says his campaign’s number-one priority is “breaking the grip” of for-profit healthcare. Chapin says he would vote for a single-payer system like Medicare for All. “We have to shift the onus for healthcare away from stockholders and back to patients and providers,” Chapin said.
On top of lower healthcare costs and increased access, Chapin wants Minnesota to receive the $550 million in Medicaid funds that have been withheld by the Trump administration for alleged fraud. Chapin says it’s “mind-boggling” that the money would be withheld from Medicaid patients “simply to settle a score.”
Chapin is referring to the repeated attacks on Minnesota by the federal administration this year, as illustrated by the deferred Medicaid payments, Trump and Emmer’s comments about Minnesota Somalis, the federal raid of US Rep. Ilhan Omar’s house, and most specifically, ICE’s Operation Metro Surge.
Chapin says that Minnesota is owed restoration from these attacks, and that he will fight for them in Congress. “The federal government broke Minnesota. Not our will, not our spirit, but they broke doors, they broke windows, they shuttered businesses, they crippled schools, terrorized neighborhoods, kidnapped people off the streets, shot people dead in cold blood. They have to pay for that, both monetarily, and I think through some kind of a truth and reconciliation commission.”
Other priorities of Chapin’s include repealing billionaire’s tax cuts, eliminating the cap on Social Security taxes, and dismantling and rebuilding the US immigration system and enforcement.
Like other Democrats, he says affordability, housing, gas and food prices, and childcare are the issues voters are mentioning to him the most. His policies are aimed at addressing each of them.
Chapin says no matter a voter’s party affiliation, “people want somebody to stand up for them,” and that he’ll be focused on doing just that–something he says the incumbent in his race hasn’t. “People are paying way too much and not getting enough, and Emmer and this administration have done absolutely nothing to help.”
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