Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Jennifer Carnahan, widow of U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, was in New Ulm on Monday campaigning to fill her late husband’s seat in Congress.

NEW ULM– Candidate for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District Jennifer Carnahan was door-knocking in New Ulm Sunday and Monday.

Carnahan estimated her campaign has knocked on roughly 20,000 doors around the district.

Carnahan was the wife of Congressman Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. The special primary being held Tuesday, May 24, with the special election on Tuesday, August 9, to determine who will serve the remainder of Hagedorn’s term.

Asked what she believed were the top issues in this election, Carnahan first cited inflation. She said inflation was at a 40-year high and supply chain delays in every industry were putting pressure on families, businesses and farmers.

“The way I look at inflation, it’s just another tax on the American people,” she said.

In connection with inflation, Carnahan wanted the United States to have energy independence. She believed closing down pipelines and oil platforms were connected with inflation.

Carnahan also believed illegal immigration was a continuing crisis, with a need to secure the borders.

“It’s not just illegals coming in. It is illegal drugs,” she said. “We need to look at reclassifying the cartels as terrorist organizations so we can go after the bad guys in a more direct way.”

Carnahan said in visiting with district voters, many people had concerns about election security and did not trust the results from the 2020 election, feeling it was stolen.

“As Americans, one of the greatest freedoms we have is the right to vote and to know our elections are secure and protected,” she said.

Carnahan refused to say if she believed the election was stolen but said there were enough abnormalities in certain areas that investigations should have been done.

Her husband was re-elected to Congress in 2020.

“On an issue on this, I don’t like to give an opinion, because we don’t know,” she said.

Ask why she was the best candidate to complete her husband’s term, Carnahan said her time alongside him as he served the district gave her experience and an understanding of the issue that are important to the district.

Carnahand served for four-and-a-half years as the chairwoman of the Minnesota Republican Party.

“I have a good understanding of politics and how to listen to people,” she said.

In running for office, Carnahan believed that politics were becoming extremely contentious, but she believed even among those in the same political party, no one ever agrees with each other 100% of the time.

“I want to continue to run it with the understanding that people have different points of view and that’s OK,” she said. “I think when you actually listen to people, and they feel a certain way for a reason, it builds a good rapport and good trust.”

Carnahan believed some politicians become too fixated on getting elected and do not focus on why.

“You are running to support all the people, not just those who don’t support you,” she said.

If elected, Carnahan would only serve a few months. She would like to join the Small Business and Agriculture committees in Congress, the two committees her husband was on.

“I think those are important for this district, so to continue to have a voice on those committees would be a key priority,” she said.