U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer to speak 'On the Issues' Oct. 15

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer is a former college hockey player, so he's used to being poked with a hockey stick.

On Thursday, Oct. 15, members of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University communities get a chance to "poke" Emmer with questions concerning national and international issues.

"Your Representative Tom Emmer: On the Issues" will be held from 5-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at Brother Willie's Pub, SJU. The event, part of the Politics and Pint series, is sponsored by the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement as part of the Mark Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom series. Kennedy is a 1979 graduate of SJU.

Emmer was sworn in for his first term representing Minnesota's Sixth District (which includes CSB and SJU) in the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 6, taking over the seat that was vacated by Michele Bachmann. He defeated Sartell, Minnesota, Mayor Joe Perske by a 56-38 percent margin in the November 2014 election.

In Congress, he serves on the House Committee on Financial Services, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit and the Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade.

Emmer served from 2005-11 in the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 19B, which included portions of Wright and Hennepin counties. He was the Republican nominee for governor in 2010, losing by 9,000 votes to Democrat Mark Dayton.

After leaving the state House, he co-hosted a talk radio program in the Twin Cities.

A native of South Bend, Indiana, Emmer grew up in Edina, Minnesota, and attended St. Thomas Academy High School. He received a bachelor's degree in 1984 from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (now known as the University of Alaska), where he played collegiate hockey for two seasons for the Nanooks. He then received a Juris Doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1988.

Free pizza will be served at the event, which is open to the public.