House Majority Whip Tom Emmer campaigned in Maine, predicting voter anger over government fraud will drive Republican victories.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer kicked off a 56-district nationwide campaign tour in Lewiston, Maine, on Sept. 29, 2026, predicting that voter anger over government fraud will produce upsets in the upcoming midterm elections.
Emmer joined Republican congressional candidate Paul LePage, Maine’s former governor running in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, for a roundtable discussion on fraud. The visit marked the opening stop of Emmer’s tour to rally voters as Republicans attempt to preserve their narrow House majority. Emmer told Fox News Digital that taxpayers care deeply about government accountability, saying the issue motivates voters across party lines.
Emmer pointed to his home state of Minnesota, where a Republican hasn’t won a statewide race since 2006. He described fraud as the state’s top issue after controversies late last year led Gov. Tim Walz to abandon his re-election bid. Emmer cited polling showing Republican attorney general candidate Ron Schutz and state auditor candidate Scott Jensen leading their races, and suggested Republican Senate candidate Michelle Tafoya and gubernatorial nominee Lisa Demuth could also win. He predicted similar results could occur in Michigan and other states on Nov. 3.
Emmer also argued that while many defendants have faced convictions in Minnesota fraud cases, no public officials have been charged. He said accountability must extend to government leaders.
The Trump administration has made combating fraud a central priority this year by creating a Justice Department Fraud Division and a White House task force led by Vice President JD Vance. The White House reported that the task force has uncovered roughly $245.7 billion in fraud, prevented another $62.9 billion annually, and collected $59.1 billion through criminal charges, settlements and penalties.
Separately, the White House defended the administration’s use of taxpayer funds for television advertisements promoting President Trump ahead of the midterm elections, CBS News reported.
