Pfluger challenges Emmer for minority whip position

Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger (R-Texas) is running against House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) for the minority whip position after Democrats won control of the lower chamber.

Pfluger wrote in a letter to his Republican colleagues on Wednesday the GOP must be “crafting a strategy to win back the majority.”

“We started 2025 with a clear mandate, and although there were successes, I believe we left a lot on the table,” Pfluger wrote. “Some circumstances may have been out of our control, but we also missed many opportunities.”

Pfluger added that Republicans “need fresh ideas and a leadership team committed to rebuilding a culture with a clear game plan to win in 2028.”

“I’m running for Republican Whip because I believe that I am capable and can be trusted to implement the changes this team needs,” Pfluger added. “From day one in Congress, I have devoted myself towards helping others and that is exactly what I will continue to do in this role.”

Emmer previously said in an interview with Axios that he plans on being in the whip position rather than running for another leadership post.

“I love my job. I would love to continue being the whip. If they want to hire somebody else, that’ll be up to the members. But I’m going to continue doing this job as long as they give me the privilege of doing this job,” Emmer told Axios in September.

His tenure as majority whip has been marked by deep divisions within the conference, with conservative hard-liners at times blocking legislation from advancing on the House floor.

“As your Republican Whip, I will continue to be direct, honest, and transparent,” Emmer said in a dear colleague letter to Republicans on Wednesday.

“We have never made false promises or tried to buy your votes. My role is to support every Member of this conference and help you succeed. Success will feel different in the minority – and often less satisfying – but will require no less support and unity in our conference.”

Emmer also touted his achievements as the previous chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

“It has always been my top priority to help our House Republican team succeed. Over the last eight years, I have dedicated myself to growing and supporting this group. Wehn I took over the NRCC in 2019, we needed to change. We needed to install a winning culture. In 2020, we were expected to lose up to 24 seats,” Emmer said.

“We fought tooth and nail, and gained a historic 15 seats, nearly flipping the House in a presidential year. In 2022, we finished the job. We’ve taken on the tough fights as a team, and won. We must return to that same mindset to retake the majority in two years.”