McNamara was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002 and was re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. He has served as the
ranking member of the House Environment Policy and Oversight Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, the Environment Policy and Oversight Subcommittee for the Game, Fish and Forestry Division, and the Finance subcommittees for the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division and the Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division. He was a
minority whip during the 2007-2008 biennium. McNamara did not seek re-election in 2016. ==Campaign for Minnesota Senate==