Staff photo by Fritz Busch DFL 1st District congressional candidate Jake Johnson said it’s time to end tariffs, the Iran war charade and bring living costs down at the Brown County DFL potluck picnic at Hermann Heights Thursday.

NEW ULM — Two Congressional candidates and a Minnesota House District 15B hopeful said they will work hard to reverse rising living costs, support family farms and not accept corporate money at the Brown County DFL picnic at Hermann Heights Park Thursday.

“I’m the guy who is sending Brad Finstad (R-New Ulm) back to the private sector,” said First District congressional challenger Jake Johnson of Rochester. “He supports tariffs because he favors the Republican party over his people. I see our congressman going to Washington, D.C. and make the American Dream more impossible to achieve, maybe than ever before, it’s not a good time to sit on the sidelines, hoping someone else will do something about it. That’s exactly what we’re fighting for in our campaign.”

Johnson said he grew up in a working class household in Stewartville.

“We were broke. My dad was a garbage man. My mom read gas meters. We had 10 siblings,” he said. “We really struggled but I was lucky to grow up in Stewartville. We worked hard but had community support from people including the school and church that wrapped their arms around our family. We had neighbors and extended family members who helped us when they could. We’d shovel the neighbors driveway and they’d give our parents 50 bucks. We were a SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Medicaid family that really needed help.”

Johnson said he would not have gone to college and become a high school math teacher without local support, grants and student loans. His wife is a paraprofessional working with deaf and hard of hearing kids.

“I decided to run for Congress because I want to become a voice for the people of southern Minnesota in the halls of Congress,” he said. “If elected, I will host 21 unscripted town hall meetings in every county in southern Minnesota because people deserve a representative who shows up.”

Johnson said he’s heard from people that things are too expensive.

“We’ve got people doing everything right in southern Minnesota but costs continue to climb and Congressman Finstad is a big part of the problem,” he said. “He supported tariffs that crippled our farmers, small businesses and family members because he chose party over the people of his district. That is wrong. I’m going to work to end tariffs so farmers, small businesses and our family members get the relief they deserve.”

Johnson said a government that took $87 billion out of rural health care and into ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to “terrorize our communities and kill our citizens is not one of southern Minnesota values. We need to fully fund rural health care.”

He said the U.S. spent more than $30 billion in the Iran War that killed 13 U.S. service members and closed the Straight of Hormuz, causing $4 per gallon gasoline and $5 diesel prices.

“Did we win? Nobody knows. Now we’re trying to put together $300 billion to fix the mess,” said Johnson. “There are real things Congress could do about this if they grew a spine to ban members of Congress from buying and selling stock. We should have term limits for members of Congress and the Supreme Court.”

He called for reigning in a corrupt government that continues to trample our constitution, approving a farm bill that supports farmers, not multi-national corporations and ending a social security cap of $184,500 of W2 income to ensure all pay their fair share.

Seventh District DFL challenger Eric Osberg, who coordinates the Otter Tail County Rural Rebound Initiative, said his top campaign goals are to defend the Constitution, getting corporate money out of politics, improving the rural economy, supporting the Social Security Expansion Act that would end the Social Security tax (FICA) cap of $184,500 of W2 income and avoiding the privatization of public education.

“I’m running for Congress because I believe we can do better,” he said. “Google the Social Security Expansion Act if you want to learn more about it. One side of the aisle wants to privatize it because, saying it will run out,” he said. “If we remove the FICA cap, benefits would increase right away. The healthcare system is so broken, it would take a mini revolution to solve that problem.”

District 15B House candidate Keith Klawitter of Morgan said he’s running to put farmers, small business owners and working families first.

“I’ve spent nearly 50 years as a teacher and coach and worked alongside farmers and local businesses,” he said. “This is a place people care about, work hard for, and take pride in. I understand the opportunities and challenges. Our district is a place worth fighting for. I’m running to strengthen our schools, support our local economy and make sure rural Minnesota has a real voice.”

Klawitter said he’ll work to stabilize rural hospitals and clinics, expand the health care workforce and ensure people can get care closer to home.

“I’ll hold regular town halls across the district, listen to your concerns and make sure your voice is heard at the Capitol,” he said.

Former Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer, who will be Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s running mate in her bid for Minnesota governor said he grew up in a small town before settling as a businessman in Fergus Falls.

“I come from one of reddest (Republican) parts of Minnesota but I plan to show up and listen to everyone,” he said. “We know it’s time to fuel entrepreneurs. When I became Fergus Falls mayor, there were lots of empty business spaces. We filled them and revitalized our riverfront. That’s what Amy Klobuchar is about too with her optimism and determination. I’m ready to match her commitment and fight for you.”