Congresswoman Angle Craig was in Cottage Grove Saturday, where she met with Mayor Myron Bailey and small business owners. Rep. Craig is a member of the House Small Business Committee.
The COVID-19 pandemic and health issues were a major focus of Friday's debate. Both candidates agreed that more relief is needed for individuals and small businesses. Craig emphasized that in order for the economy to return to where it was before the pandemic a nation-wide strategy to control COVID is required.
Minnesota Farm Bureau congratulated nine of its members of Congress for being awarded the "Friend of Farm Bureau" award for the 116th Congress. This award, presented by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), is given to members of Congress who have supported Farm Bureau's position on policy issues as demonstrated by their voting records. Voting records are based on issues selected by the AFBF Board. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Representatives Jim Hagedorn, Angie Craig, Dean Phillips, Betty McCollum, Tom Emmer, Collin Peterson and Pete Stauber each received this honor for the 116th Congress.
Angie’s making sure our votes for Congress will be counted in November. Knowing that’s possible, I have filled out my entire ballot, including the race for Congress, and I have voted for Angie Craig. We deserve representation in Congress, and she’s the best person to do it.
There should not be controversy about which candidate stands out in the race, however. Democrat Angie Craig should return to Congress in order to build upon her impressive first term.
“In this case, the decision was clear — Minnesota does not have the authority to alter the date for federal elections,” Craig said in a statement. “A February special election would have deprived the voters of the Second District of their seat at the table during a crucial period in Congress.”
Wright agreed with the argument put forth by Craig’s attorney that federal law preempts Minnesota’s 2013 law in regards to the death of a major party candidate. Moreover, Wright wrote that voters in the 2nd district would face “irreparable harm” because of a lack of representation that would occur.
Craig said earlier in the day in an MPR News debate that voters would be harmed without a November election. “The district would be unrepresented for a very critical time in 2021,” she said, citing the possibility that health care legislation could be up for discussion if the U.S. Supreme Court knocks down the Affordable Care Act. In a statement released on Twitter, Craig said the decision was “an enormous victory for the people of the Second District, who will still have an opportunity to make their voices heard in this election.”
Kistner has said he supports President Donald Trump 99 percent of the time, Craig said, so he must favor repealing Obamacare and its protections for people with preexisting conditions. “The ACA is literally on the ballot in November,” she said.
Craig’s position is that Congress should build on the health care law, and said she supports a public option, which would allow some Americans to purchase a public insurance health plan. She also said the federal government should be able to negotiate drug prices, a measure the Democrat-led U.S. House has already approved.