If Republican Jim Hagedorn has proven anything in his campaign for the First District Congressional seat, it’s that he’s not afraid of putting in the work.

After losing the Republican endorsement at the convention, Hagedorn re-entered the race, after first saying he wouldn’t challenge the endorsement, when the endorsed candidate, Aaron Miller, didn’t seem to be campaigning very strenuously.

Hagedorn worked hard to earn the Republican nomination in the primary, and he’s been criss-crossing the district since, campaigning hard and pointing out the differences between himself and Rep. Tim Walz.

Hagedorn supports replacing, not repairing the Affordable Care Act with a system that works, one that allows ealth insurance competition across state lines, creates high-risk pools to protect people with serious illness/pre-existing conditions; “portable” benefits that follow from job-to-job or during times of unemployment; Health Savings Accounts for consumers and tort reform to curtail defensive medicine and drive down costs associated with frivolous lawsuits.

He thinks government should establish a sound business climate and let business do the work of creating jobs and prosperity. He would support a common-sense energy policy that encourages development and use of all forms of energy, from oil and coal, nuclear and alternative energy development.

Hagedorn would work ard for an overhaul of federal spending and bureaucracy. He favors secure borders and common sense immigration policies that don’t reward illegal immigration, and he understands the need for a strong, coherent foreign policy.

Walz is a formidable candidate, to be sure, with a record of working hard for the district, and a well-funded campaign fund.

But we think Hagedorn gives voters in the First District a good alternative, one who is not tied to the Obama administration, and who certainly is not afraid of working hard for the district.