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Listen Story audio 3min 58sec Republican congressman Tom EmmerBrett Neely | MPR News

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer made a name for himself in Minnesota politics as a brash and unapologetic conservative and as a champion of the tea party movement.

But as Minnesota's newest member of Congress, the Republican who represents the 6th District has struck a more low-key note. Some of his allies worry he may no longer be on their side.

Some say Emmer has changed quite a bit from the days when he built a reputation as a verbal grenade launcher.

As a state legislator, he called for the nullification of federal laws.

As a candidate for governor in 2010, Emmer questioned whether restaurant servers should be paid the minimum wage and won the backing of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

As a conservative talk radio host in the Twin Cities, Emmer didn't pull any punches when talking about Democrats.

"They're destroying wealth in the United States of America because they hate wealthy people unless they're paying for their campaigns," he said in September of 2011.

These days, Emmer is a lot different.

He can sometimes be found holding the gavel inside a nearly empty U.S. House chamber, practicing his poker face for the C-SPAN cameras and announcing that "the House will be in order."

See more here:
A different Tom Emmer emerges in Congress