8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

DFL candidates enter 8th Congressional District race

Jimmy Lovrien — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:28:51 GMT

DULUTH — Although the November 2026 election is almost a year and a half away, two Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidates have announced they are running for the 8th Congressional District seat.

Cyle Cramer, 32, of Chisago City, and Emanuel Anastos, 25, of Tower, have each filed statements of organization with the Federal Election Commission establishing their campaign committees.

U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican from Hermantown who has held the seat since 2019, has also filed for reelection, according to the FEC.

Cramer, who grew up in Faribault, Minnesota, and served in the Army National Guard, works as an attorney for the Nichols Kaster, PLLP in Minneapolis, where he “represents clients in employment matters including whistleblower retaliation and discrimination claims,” according to the law firm’s website.

In a news release Sunday announcing his candidacy, Cramer said he believes representation is a public service, not an allegiance to one person or party, and vowed to engage with people across the district.

“I am seeking the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement because I agree that when an individual’s rights are threatened all of our rights are threatened and I believe in promoting opportunity,” Cramer said.

Anastos grew up on New York’s Long Island and came to Minnesota to attend Carleton College in Northfield. Since 2022, he has lived on the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa’s Vermilion Reservation near Tower, where he works as an Indian child welfare case manager for the Bois Forte Band.

In a June 4 announcement on Facebook, Anastos said he believes in a $17 minimum wage for large corporations, free public college education, and granting tribal governments greater influence. He said he hopes to largely self-fund his campaign.

“We need to create public funding of elections so politicians are no longer forced to vote in a way that rigs things for the rich people who fund their campaign,” Anastos said.

Stauber, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, said earlier this year he would not be running for governor or Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.

A Republican has not won a statewide election in Minnesota since 2006, but the 8th Congressional District, once a Democratic stronghold and later a battleground, has moved safely into the red category.

Stauber most recently cruised to victory over DFL challenger Jen Schultz, of Duluth, with 58% of the vote — just a touch higher than his margin over the same opponent in 2022.

Stauber’s campaign did not immediately comment on Cramer or Anastos entering the race Monday.

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As events mount in response to Trump’s cuts, attendees ask: Where’s Stauber?

Jimmy Lovrien — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:02:54 GMT

DULUTH — At rallies and meetings across the Northland held in protest of President Donald Trump’s cuts to the federal government, signs held by attendees and the speakers addressing them often return to a familiar theme: Where’s U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber?

The Republican from Hermantown has shrugged at calls to hold an in-person town hall, opting to continue his practice of telephone town halls instead, and when, or if, he does respond directly to the actions, he’s been supportive of Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to reshape and shrink the federal government.

Approximately 900 people attended a town hall Saturday organized by Practicing Democracy — a new group led by Jen Schultz, who ran as a Democrat and lost to Stauber in the last two elections, and Adrienne Dinneen — to address concerns people in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District have about Trump’s actions.

While Stauber was invited, he did not attend. An empty seat bearing Stauber’s name sat on stage at Duluth East High ��’s auditorium throughout the event.

“He doesn’t care about working people,” State Rep. Pete Johnson, DFL-Duluth, told the crowd gathered six days earlier at a rally in Duluth against U.S. Postal Service cuts. “Everything he has done has been in lockstep with the administration. He has not stood up for anybody. He should be here and be held accountable for the people being impacted, whether he likes what they have to say or not.”

Stauber’s office did not respond to the News Tribune’s request for comment but told Northern News Now last week that the congressman was attending another event in the district Saturday, the day of the town hall, and “he will also not appear at any event that is organized by left-wing extremists and primarily attended by paid agitators who are more interested in manufacturing outrage than having meaningful conversations about policy.”

There is no evidence that most — or even any — of the hundreds of event attendees were paid.

According to a Facebook post by Stauber’s campaign account, the Congressman was in Baxter on Saturday, speaking to Republicans.

Instead of in-person town halls, Stauber has relied on telephone town halls. He held his most recent on Monday, March 24. When a caller asked him when he would have an in-person town hall, Stauber said he’d continue to hold the telephone events. He defended the decision by saying that it is more accessible for people throughout the 8th Congressional District.

“We’ve been doing them — telephone town halls — for six and a half years, and they’re popular,” Stauber said. “It allows the people to stay in the comfort of their own home, and I’m going to continue to do telephone town halls.”

His office said the town hall attracted 17,000 listeners. During the call, Stauber answered a dozen or so questions.

For many, it’s not enough. They want to see him push back against the Trump administration and Musk’s DOGE, especially on cuts that would affect his district.

At a Sunday, March 23, rally in support of USPS employees and against proposed cuts and privatization of the mail service, Jim Barott, of Lakewood Township, stood in the crowd holding a sign that said “STAUBER is MIA.”

Barott said cuts to the USPS could threaten mail delivery to rural communities.

“That’s the rural areas (Stauber) represents, and he doesn’t care,” Barott said.

The next day, during his telephone town hall, Stauber fielded a question about the USPS but said, “Privatization is not going to happen with the Postal Service.”

However, the Associated Press reported that both Trump and Musk have entertained the idea of USPS privatization.

Stauber then sent a letter Thursday to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, urging the congressman to hold hearings on the USPS’ “inability to effectively serve rural America” and said the USPS was “facing severe staffing shortages, especially in rural areas.”

He made no mention of the Trump administration or of former U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s plan to reduce USPS’ headcount by 10,000 through an early retirement program or DeJoy signing an agreement with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to “assist us in identifying and achieving further efficiencies.”

The Congressman has not addressed some potential cuts in his district at all.

Stauber, whose wife, Jodi, used to work at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Duluth lab, did not respond to the News Tribune’s request for comment in March on whether he supports the EPA reportedly planning to eliminate the Office of Research and Development, which includes the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division Laboratory in Duluth, or if he is concerned about the potential loss of EPA jobs in his district.

John Morrice, of Duluth, worked at the EPA lab in Duluth for 15 years as a research biologist studying Great Lakes ecosystems before he retired 12 years ago.

Morrice told the News Tribune that Stauber should place as much importance on the lab’s 136 federal employees as he does on mining jobs.

“Pete Stauber talks about mining jobs like they are these sacred things and that jobs are so important and really supersede any other concerns — it’s jobs and ‘our way of life,’ ” Morrice said, referencing a slogan Stauber often repeats.

He added later, “If our way of life doesn’t include protection of the Great Lakes, well then, who are we?”

In the first two months of Trump’s second term, regular protests — several per week — have been held throughout the Northland against Trump’s cuts. Some have been aimed directly at Stauber, with up to hundreds gathered outside his Hermantown office. Others have been aimed at specific cuts — USPS, EPA, funding for research, among others. They show no sign of slowing down.

Local chapters of Indivisible, a national group that said it aims to “resist the Trump agenda,” are planning protests for Saturday, April 5, in Duluth, Two Harbors and Cloquet. And Practicing Democracy, which said it is non-partisan, said in a news release Sunday, March 30, that it would continue to hold town hall events throughout the 8th Congressional District.

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Stauber won’t run for governor or Senate

Tom Olsen — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 22:45:01 GMT

DULUTH — U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber will not run for the state’s governorship or an open U.S. Senate seat next year.

A spokesperson in the Hermantown Republican’s congressional office confirmed those plans to the News Tribune on Thursday, a day after Stauber first publicly ruled out either possibility in an interview with Northern News Now.

In November, Stauber was reelected to a fourth term representing Northeastern Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District.

There has long been speculation within political circles that he could seek higher office, particularly as he has been a vocal critic of DFL Gov. Tim Walz. The incumbent still faces a decision on whether he will seek a rare third term as the state’s governor after an unsuccessful bid for vice president.

The unexpected announcement last week from another Democrat, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, has added a new layer of intrigue to the 2026 midterm elections. So far, only Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has announced a campaign to succeed her on the DFL ticket.

Royce White, a former professional basketball player turned political podcaster, has already announced another GOP bid for the seat after his 16-point loss to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2024.

A Republican has not won a statewide election in Minnesota since 2006. But the 8th District, once a Democratic stronghold and later a battleground, has moved safely into the red category.

Stauber most recently cruised to victory over DFL challenger Jen Schultz with 58% of the vote — just a touch higher than his margin over the same opponent in 2022.

A staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, the congressman chairs the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. With Republicans now holding a trifecta in Washington, Stauber has said he will “undo the damage committed by the Biden administration and unleash our nation’s vast energy and mineral resources.”

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US House of Representatives passes Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act

Pioneer Staff Report — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:28:35 GMT

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District Rep. Pete Stauber’s Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act.

The bill, passed by the House on Tuesday, Jan. 21, would exchange 36.7 acres owned by the Bowen Lodge resort in Deer River for 17.5 acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Chippewa National Forest, a release said.

This is Stauber’s first bill to pass the House in the 119th Congress.

"This land exchange is a win-win, which is why it passed out of the House with unanimous support," Stauber said in the release. "It will grant the Bowen Lodge permanent access to the waterfront, ensuring that guests and residents of Itasca County can partake in recreational opportunities for generations to come, all while helping the Chippewa National Forest achieve its management goals."

Lake Winnibigoshish, also known as Lake Winnie, is located in the Chippewa National Forest and is home to Bowen Lodge.

"Bowen Lodge is a fishing lodge currently run by Bill and Gail Heig, who have served as incredible stewards of Lake Winnie, while also providing fishing and recreation opportunities to the local community," the release said.

Currently, Bowen Lodge has a 20-year agreement with the USFS to lease acreage along the shoreline of Lake Winnie, where the Heigs operate their marina. Under their stewardship, Lake Winnie has remained accessible to the citizens of Itasca County.

Stauber’s bill would facilitate a land exchange between Bowen Lodge and the USFS, providing Bowen Lodge permanent access to the lakeshore and marina, along with greater certainty for the greater Itasca County community, the release said.

In exchange for this land, Bowen Lodge would convey nearby acreage to the USFS, which would then be added to the Chippewa National Forest.

"I urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and send it to the President’s desk," Stauber said.

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Pete Stauber wins reelection in 8th Congressional District

Tom Olsen — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 06:04:18 GMT

DULUTH — Incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber won reelection to Minnesota's 8th Congressional District after a rematch with DFL challenger Jen Schultz.

The Hermantown Republican had a 60.14% to 39.74% advantage over the former state legislator from Duluth, with 84.41% of precincts reporting at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Stauber, 58, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, will return to Congress for his fourth two-year term. He is a former professional hockey player, Duluth police officer, business owner and St. Louis County commissioner.

“We have a long night ahead to see if President Trump will win," Stauber said in a statement early Wednesday, "but I’ve heard the voters loud and clear: They are fed up with skyrocketing prices, an open southern border, and chaos abroad.

"I look forward to turning the page on the past four disastrous years and hopefully working alongside President Trump to put America first and get our economy moving again by becoming energy and critical mineral dominant. We must close the southern border and restore our standing in the world where America will once again be respected by friends and foes."

Schultz, 53, is an economist and professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015-23.

The race featured many familiar issues from the 2022 campaign, which Stauber won with 57% of the vote.

The congressman has heavily focused on advocacy for mining and energy while criticizing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for inflation, government spending and issues at the southern border.

The DFL candidate, meanwhile, campaigned on strengthening the middle class, protecting access to health care and preserving democracy — criticizing Stauber as an ineffective congressman who puts politics above policy.

Stauber currently chairs the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, providing oversight of oil, gas, wind, solar and mining projects nationwide.

He has criticized the administration for mining and oil drilling policies and sponsored legislation that passed the GOP-controlled House to overturn a ban on copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The congressman has made four trips in office to the U.S.-Mexico border, highlighting what he has called a “humanitarian and organized crime” crisis that is allowing criminals and fentanyl to flow into the country.

Schultz, though, has criticized him for voting against legislation that she said would help average Americans, from price gouging to a cap on insulin costs. Notably, Stauber in January touted his efforts to secure a $1 billion grant for constructing a new Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior after voting against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that funded it.

The DFLer has also slammed his vote against further funding for Ukraine in its defense of the Russian invasion, as well as co-sponsoring legislation that would federally ban abortions after 15 weeks and potentially threaten in vitro fertilization.

Long a DFL stronghold, the 8th District emerged as one of the nation’s most competitive and expensive races last decade, flipping parties three times between 2010-18. But the Northeastern Minnesota seat is no longer considered a national bellwether by political analysts, with Stauber the first Republican to win reelection since the 1940s.

The district includes all or parts of 21 counties, including all seven Anishinaabe reservations in Minnesota. While Duluth remains heavily Democratic, the once-reliably blue Iron Range has undergone a major shift in recent cycles, and the district has grown to include more conservative-leaning rural areas.

Members of Congress make $174,000 per year.

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Jen Schultz once again challenging Rep. Pete Stauber in 8th Congressional District race

Pioneer Staff Report — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:00:00 GMT

DULUTH — Incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber and challenger Jen Schultz will go head to head in the general election to represent Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

Stauber, a three-term Republican from Hermantown, will again face the DFL-nominated Schultz — a former state representative from Duluth — after the pair ran against each other in 2022 with Stauber defeating Schultz by a 57.2%-42.8% margin.

Each candidate answered the following questions in their own words ahead of the primary election in August.

Pete Stauber

How do you view the state of the economy in northeastern Minnesota right now, and what can you do in Congress to support local job growth?

Joe Biden’s economy is crippling working families. Our costs of living are skyrocketing. Energy prices are through the roof. The American dream of homeownership for young families is virtually unattainable. We need to change course. We must put America first by building a pro-growth economy and enact an all-American energy policy that doesn’t rely on our adversaries. We must become critical mineral dominant by mining those minerals right here at home, generating an economic boom throughout the region, and doing it in an environmentally sound way, with union labor. Mining is part of our past, present and future!

What should the federal government be doing to ensure public safety in our communities?

As a 23-year police officer, I am proud to be a foremost leader in Congress when it comes to keeping our communities safe. We are clearly at a crossroads in our nation between those defending law and order and standing and supporting our law enforcement, and those who are more interested in sending criminals back to the streets making our communities less safe. Unlike some of my congressional colleagues who continue calling to defund our law enforcement, I will do all I can to provide our police with the resources needed to keep our communities safe.

Do you support congressional action on abortion, birth control, in vitro fertilization or other reproductive health measures?

As the father of six beautiful children, including two who were adopted, I believe all life has value and should be protected. However, before we were blessed with our first child, my wife and I struggled to conceive. I support all families who are trying to have a child, whether that’s through natural birth, adoption, foster care or fertility treatment like IVF. I support congressional action on policies that protect the sanctity of life and opportunities for families to grow.

Jen Schultz

How do you view the state of the economy in northeastern Minnesota right now, and what can you do in Congress to support local job growth?

As an economist, I will bring meaningful investments to our region and will focus on fixing our economy, so it works for everyone. I’ll represent working people, not political parties. I’ll help small businesses, work to increase affordable housing and access to health care, and invest in our port, infrastructure and schools — all things businesses need. I’ll work with everyone regardless of party affiliation. I’ll vote for infrastructure bills, and champion policies to bring back and protect domestic manufacturing and responsible mining to create jobs. I’ll strengthen the middle class because it is the foundation of our economy.

What should the federal government be doing to ensure public safety in our communities?

Public safety is about protecting people and communities. I fully support law enforcement and first responders. I strongly oppose defunding the police. I have great respect for first responders and military personnel as my late father was a dedicated firefighter, paramedic and Vietnam veteran. We need to secure our borders humanely. Congress should have passed the bipartisan border bill. We need to address illicit drug use by improving border security and drug surveillance. I will address mental health and homelessness. We need to make sure people have access to basic needs and opportunities to thrive.

Do you support congressional action on abortion, birth control, in vitro fertilization or other reproductive health measures?

Every person should have the right to make their own health decisions with their doctor, not politicians. I support reproductive rights including abortion, access to birth control and IVF treatment. We need to codify these long-held protections into law. Restrictive state laws are jeopardizing women’s lives. In addition to increasing access to healthcare, I will protect Social Security and Medicare. I have a track record of getting things done through being an independent thinker, asking good questions, solving problems and helping people. There is a better way forward where we improve lives by investing in people and in our communities.

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Rick Nolan, 'giant' in Northland politics, dies at 80

Tom Olsen — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:39:04 GMT

DULUTH — Former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, whose six terms in Congress were separated by a 32-year break, has died. He was 80.

Nolan, a Brainerd native and former business leader, had most recently represented Northeastern Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District — an unlikely return to Washington after relinquishing his seat decades earlier.

“With his thunderous voice and passion for the people of northern Minnesota, Rick was a one-of-a-kind leader,” U.S. Sen Amy Klobuchar said in a statement. “He put his power into representing the people who needed him.”

Political leaders and former colleagues described Nolan as an “old school politician” — a fiery speaker who fiercely advocated for the region and was willing to work across the aisle to get things done.

“We’d always schedule extra time because we knew that Rick was going to be the last guy out of the room,” said Jeff Anderson, who served as his deputy chief of staff and district director. “He wanted to shake hands with every single person. He was genuinely interested in hearing their story. He was just a refreshing person to watch in action, and a great mentor.”

The cause and date of death were not immediately released. Nolan had been actively supporting candidates as recently as last week. The sudden news was met with an outpouring of remembrances from local, state and national figures.

“Rick Nolan was a giant in northern Minnesota and in Congress, a tireless advocate for working people, and his speeches could blow the lid off the roof,” said Gov. Tim Walz, who served with him in the House.

Former Duluth Mayor Don Ness likened him to former U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, who served the 8th District for 36 years.

“Jim just thought the world of Rick,” said Ness, who served as Oberstar’s campaign manager. “They were cut from the same cloth. Passionate about advocating for working men and women. Passionate about service with integrity and building influence through a deep understanding of the issues.”

Nolan was born Dec. 17, 1943, in Brainerd, and became a social studies teacher in Royalton. He got his first taste of politics as an assistant to then-U.S. Sen. Walter Mondale, and he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1968.

After a first, unsuccessful bid for Congress, he was elected to the 6th Congressional District seat in 1974 as one of the “Watergate babies” — a massive Democratic class voted in following President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Despite comfortable victories, Nolan chose not to pursue a third term in 1980 and instead entered the private business sector. He was appointed as head of the Minnesota World Trade Center and owned and operated a sawmill and pallet shop in Emily.

Nolan made his return to national politics in 2011, when he announced he would challenge newly elected U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack in the 8th District. Cravaack had just unseated Oberstar as part of the Tea Party wave.

Nolan went on to win with 54% of the vote, returning the district to the DFL and twice defending it in two of the closest and most expensive congressional races in the country against Republican challenger Stewart Mills.

Former St. Louis County commissioner Frank Jewell cited working with Nolan on school land trust issues in the Boundary Waters and seeing him at the National Association of Counties events. But his strongest memory of Nolan was as a congressman who took time to meet with people. Jewell took a group of University of Minnesota Extension staff for a training event at the Capitol and asked Nolan for a meeting. Nolan had to go vote, so he asked the group to tag along to see the vote in action and then gave the group a tour of the Capitol building.

"He showed us little spots you wouldn't get to see unless you were with a member of Congress, and I remember it made such a impact on those four women. They may not have voted for him, but they were impressed at how he took the time for them," Jewell said.

Nolan declared in 2018 that he would step down at the end of that term. His daughter, Katherine, had been diagnosed with incurable lung cancer and died in 2020. And Nolan himself suffered multiple heart attacks and underwent open-heart surgery.

He did make one final political bid, though, signing on as Attorney General Lori Swanson’s running mate in a last-minute gubernatorial campaign in 2018. His brief candidacy was marked by scrutiny over the handling of an aide who had been accused of sexual harassment.

Nolan remained active in his final days, door-knocking on the Iron Range and making media appearances just last week for District 7B DFL candidate Lorie Janatopoulos.

Anderson accompanied his former boss on that trip, the two men having stayed close since Nolan left office. Their relationship started in an unlikely way: opponents for the DFL nomination in 2012. But they hit it off on the campaign trail, with Anderson later supporting Nolan’s bid and joining his office.

Anderson noted Nolan was in the minority his entire second tenure, but was nonetheless ranked as one of the most effective members of Congress. He was a "stereotypical Minnesotan," who loved to fish and hunt, and never moved to Washington.

“He was a fighter for the middle class, for senior citizens, for students, for the poor,” Anderson said. “But he didn't lose sight of the fact that he also represented miners and loggers and farmers, and went to work every day trying to represent their interests, too.”

Among his more notable actions, Nolan helped bring then-White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to the Iron Range in 2015, when a glut of Chinese steel had decimated the local mining industry.

“Rick Nolan was a champion for the Northland who fought fiercely to protect working people from corporate interests,” Minnesota DFL Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement. “From Ely to Duluth, he was an ambassador for the DFL creed that ‘we all do better when we all do better.’”

Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, who succeeded Nolan, expressed condolences on social media, as did current DFL challenger Jen Schultz.

“I got to know Rick when we campaigned together starting in 2013,” Schultz said. “He shared with me the importance of always showing up for people and listening to their concerns. He was a master at connecting with people, which helped him get things done in D.C.”

Nolan is survived by his wife, three children and more than a dozen grandchildren.

News Tribune reporter Teri Cadeau contributed to this report.

This story was updated at 4:14 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, 2024 with additional information and quotes. It was originally posted earlier in the day at 11:23 a.m.

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Schultz promises stronger leadership for Minnesota's 8th District

FCC Editorial Advisory Board — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:48:00 GMT

Jen Schultz’s eight-year record of success in the Minnesota Legislature — helping everyday Minnesotans facing addiction, mental health challenges, difficulties affording their prescriptions, homelessness and more — is impressive on its own.

But consider, too, that before a career in public service, Schultz worked in the private sector, analyzing and improving access to health care and affordable medicines, working for a pharmaceutical company and as a consultant in health care, and offering input to Fortune 500 companies eager to provide the best health care plans they could at the best cost.

A professor of economics and co-director of the health care management program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Schultz is making her second run to represent Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. She’s the proven, responsive, constituents-focused choice for eligible voters in the massive district, which stretches more than halfway across the state’s northeast, from the Canadian border to the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities. The district includes the Iron Range, Duluth, Brainerd, Aitkin, all seven of Minnesota’s Anishinaabe reservations and more.

Perhaps nothing she did as a four-term legislator was bigger than the 2019 law to begin the state licensing of assisted-living facilities. Schultz helped carry the cause in the DFL House while Republican Sen. Karin Housley of Stillwater led the way in the Senate, producing a bill that created needed oversight and helped end years of horrific reports of abuse and inadequate care at far too many senior homes.

In a politically divided Legislature, Schultz, a DFLer, also worked behind the scenes and across the aisle to help pass a bipartisan omnibus bill that directed $700 million in federal relief for things like public health, drug abuse, mental health, homelessness, and public safety. Urgency demonstrated by Schultz and other lawmakers made Minnesota one of the first states to successfully allocate the federal funding.

She was also key in passing a bipartisan human services and policy bill that included investments to help those with mental health challenges and drug addictions. And she pushed for the passage of a bipartisan mental health standalone bill that included $100 million in badly needed spending.

“We’re at a point where we need to put our country and our democracy above our party. I’m going to be representing working families in the 8th District, older adults, people who rely on Social Security and Medicare,” Schultz said in an exclusive interview with Forum Communications this fall. “I have a track record of getting things done and solving big, big problems and helping working families.”

In D.C., that same hustle, effectiveness, and willingness to work with others, regardless of party, promises to benefit Minnesotans back home.

“The people in the 8th District deserve a better and stronger leader,” Schultz said.

Instead, they have Rep. Pete Stauber, who, for years now, has increasingly seemed more interested in furthering the political aspirations of his Republican Party and former President Donald Trump than in representing constituents.

In a statement this year — despite knowing better how criminal justice works due to his work as a Duluth police officer for 23 years — Stauber referred to the trial that found Trump guilty of duping banks and others in fraudulent business dealings as “rigged” and a “sham.” Perhaps even more disqualifying, Stauber signed on to the lawsuit that sought to overturn the will of the voters following the 2020 presidential election, making him part of the same coup that led to the violent and deadly Jan. 6, 2021, overrun of the U.S. Capitol.

Yes, Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District deserves better. In the Nov. 5 election, its voters can opt for a stronger, more-accessible leader in Schultz.

This Forum Communications Co. editorial represents the views of Forum Communications Co., this newspaper's parent company. It was written by the FCC Editorial Advisory Board.
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Stauber, Schultz easily win 8th Congressional District primaries

Tom Olsen — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 04:46:46 GMT

DULUTH — Incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber and challenger Jen Schultz easily handled the primary competition Tuesday.

Stauber, a three-term Republican from Hermantown, will again face the DFL-nominated Schultz, a former state representative from Duluth, in November’s general election for Northeastern Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District.

Will nearly all results in as of 11:40 p.m., Stauber had 90.48% of the vote over GOP challenger Harry Welty, a former Duluth �� Board member, who had 9.52%.

Schultz, meanwhile, led the DFL race with 90.96% over John Munter, of Warba, who had 9.04%.

"I am deeply honored by the trust the voters have placed in me," Schultz said in a statement. "Our campaign has always been about fighting for the people of Northern Minnesota — ensuring good jobs, accessible healthcare, a strong economy and retirement security. Tonight’s victory is a testament to the power of our community and the desire for real change in Washington D.C.”

Stauber's campaign said he was out of state on official business and did not immediately comment on the results.

Both were rematches of the 2022 primary. Stauber cruised to victory in that contest with 91% of the vote, while Schultz easily won her race with 86% of the tally.

Stauber, 58, served more than 22 years as a Duluth police officer, retiring as a lieutenant in 2017. A Duluth Denfeld High �� graduate, he played collegiate and professional hockey and, with his family, started the business now known as Duluth Hockey Co.

Stauber got his start in politics at the Hermantown City Council and was later elected to the St. Louis County Board.

In Congress, he has largely focused on advocacy for mining and manufacturing jobs and has been a frequent critic of President Joe Biden’s economic policies and response to the southern border. He has remained closely allied with former President Donald Trump and backed his reelection bid, despite Trump’s many legal entanglements and conviction on 34 felony counts.

But Stauber has faced fierce criticism from opponents — recently for voting against aid to Ukraine in its defense of the Russian invasion, as well his touting of a $1 billion federal grant for the Blatnik Bridge reconstruction project after he opposed the Biden-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Schultz, 53, is co-director of the Health Care Management Program and a professor of economics at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

A 20-year resident of Duluth, Schultz represented the city’s eastern neighborhoods in the state Legislature from 2015-23. As chair of the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, she was a prominent voice on many issues related to health care.

Schultz’s campaign has focused on strengthening the middle class through economic policy, retirement security and access to health care, housing, child care and reproductive freedom.

Stauber in 2022 defeated Schultz by a 57.2%-42.8% margin, but the DFL candidate has expressed hope that an earlier start to this year’s campaign will narrow the gap.

While not competing head-to-head in Tuesday's primary, Stauber was the outright vote leader, with 36,689 to Schultz's 31,888.

Stauber has raised $1.66 million and had $1.05 million on hand through late July, according to Federal Election Commission filings, while Schultz reported receipts of $758,238 with $289,582 to spend.

The Cook Political Report ranks the seat as “solid Republican.”

This story was updated at 11:46 p.m. Aug. 13 with additional vote totals. It was originally posted at 9:58 p.m. Aug. 13.

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