Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Republican-endorsed candidate for Minnesota’s First Congressional District Jim Hagedorn (back, center) visited the New Ulm Country Club for a campaign fundraiser Thursday night.

NEW ULM — Republican-endorsed candidate for Minnesota’s First Congressional District Jim Hagedorn visited the New Ulm Country Club for a campaign fundraiser Thursday night.

The fundraiser was attended by Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls), Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) and the State Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party Jennifer Carnahan.

The Chair of the Brown Party Republican Party Greg Bartz introduced the special guest. Bartz emphasized this election was important for the Republican party.

He said historically the mid-terms after a new president is elected go to the other party. The Republican Party could lose some Republican seats in the Congress and Senate making it necessary for them to flip some Democratic districts to remain in control of the Executive and Legislative branches.

Carnahan also acknowledged the importance of the 2018 election, but was confident in Hagedorn’s chances. She said his campaign did not have the infrastructure it did last year when Hagedorn lost a narrow election to Tim Walz. However, this year he has stronger support.

Carnahan said there would be no “blue wave in southern Minnesota, but a red tsunami.”

Hagedorn addressed his donors and assured them his campaign was stronger now than it was on election night in 2016 when he lost by a few tenths of a percent.

Hagedorn said he had three advantages in 2018. First, was Walz, who he called a moderate Democrat, is no longer running for the congressional seat. Second, President Donald Trump was still popular in southern Minnesota. Third,Hagedorn said his likely Democrat opponent in 2018, Dan Feehan, was “very left of center” and was an Obama appointee who did not know the district enough.

Hagedorn criticized Feehan’s stance on gun control and climate control as disadvantages in Minnesota’s First District.

In closing, Hagedorn said he would campaign on secure borders, regulation reforms, and sustaining agriculture.

This is the third time Hagedorn will run as the GOP-endorsed candidate for the First District. He was the party’s nominee in 2014 and 2016.

The primary is Tuesday, Aug. 14, with the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.