The Patriot has profiled the candidates who are hoping to serve as United States representatives for Minnesota, in both the US Senate and the House of Representatives.
US Senate
Tina Smith
Tina Smith and her husband, Archie, have two sons. She worked at General Mills when she first moved to Minnesota, and went on to start her own business. She served as chief of staff for Mayor Rybak and Governor Dayton. She was elected as Minnesota Lieutenant Governor in 2014, and was elected to the Senate in 2018.
Agriculture: I authored and championed many provisions in the 2018 farm bill including improvement to the dairy safety-net program, the legislative roadmap for the energy title, and improvement to USDA conservation programs. I championed the creation of the rural health liaison at the USDA as well as funding for local mental health resources and to expand access to stress reduction and suicide prevention programs.
Environment: I continue to fight for federal policies that seek to combat climate change. Terrible accidents like the Flint water and sweeping challenges like climate change make clear that the federal government has an important role to play in protecting our environment. Decisions like pulling out of the Paris Agreement and undermining a plan to reduce air pollution are outdated.
Health Care: I am fighting to protect comprehensive health care coverage for Minnesotans. I am also working to enforce federal laws that require equitable coverage of mental health and medical care. I oppose any efforts to limit coverage for Minnesotans. I am working to eliminate the health disparities between rural and urban communities.
Economy: We need a fairer tax code that supports working families, not just the wealthiest of Americans. We need paid family and medical leave for workers so that parents can stay home to take care of a newborn or a sick family member without losing a paycheck. We need to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the pay gap between men and women. We need fair trade policies that help Minnesota workers get ahead, and we need to crack down on foreign countries that break international trade rules. We need to hold Wall Street accountable and make sure they don’t cause another economic collapse.
Veterans: We need to make sure our veterans get the benefits and care they earned. I believe this includes ensuring they’re able to pursue higher education, find housing and good jobs, heal from the wounds of war and access health care. We must actively seek out legislative fixes when we find gaps in the law that prevent them from receiving their benefits.
Jason Lewis
Jason Lewis is married to Leigh, a former St. Paul police officer, and they have two daughters. He is a former family small business owner (automotive aftermarket sales), and was a radio broadcaster for 25 years. He earned his B.A. in education/business from the University of Northern Iowa, and an M.A. in political science from the University of Colorado Denver. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2017-2019.
Police: When a mainstream political party and its standard bearers are pushing to defund the police, it’s safe to say that something is dangerously wrong. I will always fund the police. But I also know firsthand from marrying my wife Leigh (a St. Paul police officer) that nobody dislikes a bad cop more than a good cop. To label an entire profession as “rotten to the root” is not only wrong, it’s dangerous. Bad cops must be held accountable--that’s why I spoke out in favor of the “JUSTICE Act.” I’m proud to have been endorsed by the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
COVID-19: I was all in on “15 days to slow the spread” and its initial extension so that we could “flatten the curve” and shore up medical resources. We now are close to having a vaccine available. We can protect the vulnerable and beat the virus without this economic lockdown. Congress also must ensure Americans get more relief from the fallout surrounding COVID, such as SBA/PPP loan forgiveness.
Healthcare: Democrats now insist the only way to fix the skyrocketing premiums and deductibles that have been foisted upon us by Obamacare is to embrace a single payer style healthcare system such as “Medicare For All.” This could force up to 50 rural Minnesota hospitals to close.
America First: Under President Trump, this nation has rightfully been pursuing an “America First” economic agenda that puts the middle class and farmers first and ends disastrous trade policies. Minnesota farmers desperately need new markets, and we currently import over 80% of minerals from China, yet we sit on vast untapped reserves of copper and nickel on the Iron Range.
Packing the Court: The left is openly talking about packing the Supreme Court. We must protect the Constitution, separation of powers, and confirm conservative judges like Judge Amy Coney Barrett to ensure the right to life, as well as the Second Amendment, is protected.
US House of Representatives
Tom Emmer
Tom Emmer and his wife Jacquie have seven children. Emmer has a BA in political science from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and a JD from William Mitchell College of Law. Emmer opened his own law firm while participating in local government. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004, and he was elected to the US House in 2014.
Agriculture: Agriculture is the backbone of the American economy, and Minnesota is recognized as an agricultural leader throughout the world.Regulations, reckless government spending, a complex tax system, and the highest corporate income tax rate in the world have all limited economic growth and raised concerns regarding the future prosperity of America.
Foreign Policy: For the past 50 years, the United States’ relationship with Cuba has been one of isolation – it is clear this policy has been a failure. The voices of our policy makers must represent the voices of the overwhelming majority of Americans who favor improving our relationship with Cuba.
Economy: The financial services sector in Minnesota is an impressive part of our business community and key industry throughout our state. In Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District alone, we have hundreds of banks and numerous credit unions supporting nearly 60,000 Minnesotans in finance related fields. Trade agreements help spur economic growth, create high-paying jobs, and protect consumers. Policies that will foster innovation and efficiency while working to create a level playing field for all American workers and businesses are vital to our success as a nation.
National Security: America must act as a global force for good, but not the world’s policeman. In nearly two decades since the attacks on 9/11, American defense and homeland security have faced seismic shifts. Technological advancements coupled with increased demand for a U.S. military presence abroad has begun to expose cracks in our procurement process, national security strategy, and our protection of civil liberties.
Second Amendment: The Second Amendment is an essential civil right and a significant part of our heritage in Minnesota. Our founders understood that an individual’s right to keep and bear arms is a crucial individual liberty.
Tawnja Zahradka
Tawnja Zahradka and her husband, Paul, have two children. She is a graduate of the University of North Dakota. She has worked as a professional model and actress for over two decades.
Environment: I believe spraying our food supply with known carcinogens and lifting safe water regulations is unforgivable. I believe our farmers are in a great position to reduce greenhouse gasses through soil and biomass sequestration. Farmers can also contribute to a clean energy future by using solar and wind energy and provide the source materials for biofuels.
Health Care: Our federal government needs to build upon the Affordable Care Act until a public option is available, and stop trying to decimate pre-existing conditions coverage currently protected by the ACA.
It is inconceivable that the healthcare premiums for a family of four total $20,000 annually. I believe that Medicare for all would positively change the world. I also believe, if someone wants to pay insurance companies to decide if they get care or not, they should be able to make that choice for themselves.
Police: Unfortunately, language about police de-funding has been widely disseminated as an end to policing. No reasonable person would ever lobby for abolishing the police department. But we must ensure that police funds are used prudently. Incentives should be based on the ability to work with the community, de-escalate situations peacefully, and treat all people humanely to gain respect from those they serve rather than awarding raises based on arrest numbers. The goal should be common respect and courtesy for and by the police.
Immigration: I think immigration applicants should be paired with the needs of the farms who rely on their labor. We could quickly streamline the immigration process in this manner while meeting the needs of our food suppliers. There should be a path to citizenship for those who make our country better. Immigrants could revive our abandoned factories and ghost towns, taking the decaying remains of these communities and making them beautiful again.
Second Amendment: I am honored to be recognized by Moms Demand Action as a Gun Sense Candidate. I believe the second amendment is crucial for our citizens to protect themselves and enjoy recreational sporting. What I don’t believe in is people with questionable backgrounds being able to purchase weapons unchecked by law enforcement. I support a voluntary buy back of the weapons of war that are used to terrify our children and murder innocent people.
