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Sun Thisweek and the Dakota County Tribune released a questionnaire to candidates for the 2nd District Republican endorsement in March prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Due to the overwhelming need to provide news coverage to the pandemic and communication issues in assembling the responses, the questionnaire has been delayed from its original run date of April 3.

Political realities have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the newspaper plans to address the many issues caused by it in the future.

Five candidates are seeking the Republican endorsement for the chance to run against U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Eagan. The 2nd District Republicans have scheduled May 2 for its endorsement.

The 2nd District includes all or portions of Dakota, Scott, Wabasha, Goodhue and Rice counties.

Following are responses the newspaper received. Word limits were placed on each question. A response was not received from Regina Barr of Inver Grove Heights.

Residence: Apple Valley

Family: Husband John, son Cameron, daughter Delaney

Education: Bachelors from UMC, Masters of Public Administration from Troy University, Guantanamo Bay Cuba campus

Endorsements: Added to U.S. Rep. Elise Stefaniks Women to Watch list; Shakopee City Council Member Matt Lehman

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I have a comprehensive depth and breadth of life experience between my corporate, senior military and leadership roles that make me the most qualified candidate for the endorsement. I have 24 years of experience as a senior military officer, and still serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve. After 22 years of wearing the uniform full time, I transitioned to a corporate role two years ago. I also have extensive leadership experience and was recognized by the secretary of defense for my work creating an Employee Resource Group and mentorship network on military bases, navy ships, service academies, and deployed locations throughout the world. Finally, I most closely resemble what the voters in this district identify with and will elect in November.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I am willing to meet anyone halfway for a reasonable solution that is in the interest of the United States. I have experience working on enterprise solutions for the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs. Most recently, my work to create a veteran transition program has resulted in legislation via Title 1 of the Deborah Sampson Act, and the program was added to the FY2020 Defense Authorization Bill.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

Health care must be consumer centered. To move in this direction, we need to provide health care that is transparent, affordable and easy to understand. Market-driven care will result in increased choice for the consumer. Public Health Savings Accounts (HSA) is one option that should have a much wider access. Another potential legislative option is based on the Direct Primary Care model. In this option, patients pay a monthly fee for primary care benefits. The added benefit is that it supports a direct relationship between the patient and provider, without a need for an insurance provider. While consumers would need a secondary catastrophic insurance, these fees would be lower than many current insurance plans in the market.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget?

Tax cuts would put more money into the hands of the American people. An optimal way to offset these tax cuts would be to transition the current federal budget cycle from an annual cycle to a biennial cycle. This cycle would begin and end with each congressional class elected into office. Our current end-of-fiscal-year and Continuing Resolution Authority cycles are inefficient and costly. A biennial cycle would also allow departments to better plan long term mission sets and extend many contracts from a 1-year cycle to a 2-year cycle. Money saved from doubling the lifecycle of contracts would easily be able to offset any tax cuts.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Effective immigration legislation needs to address the coyote industry at the southern border. Over the last few years, the human smuggling industry on the southern border has been replacing the drug smuggling industry. This is because time and money isnt needed to create the product. Although people are worth far more money than drugs, its easier and cheaper for coyotes to smuggle humans rather than drugs. Most recently, human smuggling has begun to evolve into human trafficking, resulting in ransoms being demanded once immigrants get across the border. We need to have stiffer penalties to put this to a stop immediately.

Residence: Apple Valley

Family: Marie E. Kistner (spouse) and Elodie M. Kistner (daughter)

Education: University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Arts, history), New England College (Master of Arts, international relations)

Qualifications: Lifelong Minnesotan, family man, and 9-year Marine Special Operations Forces veteran. I have four overseas tours, leading and commanding over 500 personnel conducting counterterrorism and counter China/Russia aggression operations. My last four years in Marine Special Operations I worked national strategy and policy as well as worked directly with Congress on legislative issues. My leadership experience coupled with my experience working national level issues with Congress makes me the most qualified candidate.

Endorsements: U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz; U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan; U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher; 2018 Minnesota attorney general candidate Doug Wardlow; state Rep. Steve Drazkowski

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I have Minnesota values, family values, leadership, and military experience. I bring tested and tried experience leading men and women in Marine Special Operations as well as experience working with Congress that make me the most qualified and unique candidate. Working with Congress helped me gain extensive knowledge and understanding of national issues. It also gives me an advantage by knowing how to navigate and work with Congress. As a husband and father, I know the importance of security and safety for my family and always work to give them a prosperous life. As a servant leader and veteran Marine Raider, its the mentality of being a resource to the needs and interest of the constituents over myself. As a congressman, I will take these values and effectively serve and represent and fight for the voices of this district in D.C.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I agree the greatest issue were facing is the divisiveness in politics today, especially in Congress. As a veteran of the elite Marine Special Operations, I worked with people from all walks of life who had different backgrounds, views, and morals. As the leader, I worked with everyone and united our team to accomplish the mission at hand. It was never emotional because everyone approached the conversation with civility. Its this experience in servant leadership that is crucial to bring sanity to our political system in Congress.

What we need now are people who can bring civility back to politics and be able to have a conversation with the other side. The only way we can address the hard issues is by working together to accomplish the tasks at hand, making this country great and giving the people the conditions to ensure a more prosperous and secure future.

3) What legislation would you support to make healthcare more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

The rising cost of healthcare has become a national problem many Minnesotans are faced with. We need to rein in skyrocketing cost, improve quality and expand access without breaking the bank.

Im focused on a healthcare solution that is private, portable, and affordable.

I support bipartisan, common sense solutions to do exactly that, including: paying for quality of care, not quantity as well as focusing on prevention and wellness. A free and competitive market which is patient centered healthcare is the best solution to this daunting problem which Congress continues to ignore. Drop the state line restrictions, allow foreign pharmaceutical companies from Europe and Canada access to our markets, and continue to push for greater transparency in the cost and care provided in our healthcare system.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget? The free market system and our trade agreements have allowed our economy to grow and flourish. Economic prosperity is not achieved through increased taxes but through the deregulation of the free market system to make it truly free.

We need to continue to cut taxes and ensure our small business owners and the entrepreneurs continue to receive tax breaks which encourage them to open businesses and thrive.

Our government spending continues to increase with more calling for raising the debt ceiling to allow politicians to increase the national deficit. We need to look at ways to cut waste, find more reforms in our national budget, and advocate for a reduction in our spending, not find ways to increase it. The more debt we accumulate, the more we are putting on our future generations to deal with. Its time we take responsibility and act now to address this issue.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Border security is national security. Its that simple. We need to build the wall and secure the border. Its not fair for illegals who break the law to cut in front of those who are waiting to come here legally.

And as we saw in the debates, Democrats want open borders and free healthcare for illegal immigrants. We simply cannot let that happen.

Congress needs to continue to work with President Trump to stop illegal immigration to keep our communities safe.

Residence: Prior Lake

Family: Spouse: Linda, married Sept. 19, 1970, (yep, coming onto 50 years), two boys, Brad, 43, director of nursing at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kirk, 41, supervisor in the control room of the Xcel Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant. Three grandkids, two here in Minnesota five miles away.

Education: J.D. from Stanford Law School, all but dissertations in Ph.D. programs at University of California, Davis in agricultural economics and Michigan State University in K-12 education administration, 50-60 courses from https://www.thegreatcourses.com/ and several Coursera courses.

Qualifications: I have a lifetime of leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. Ive:

served as an attorney for the Republican Caucus in the House of Representatives in Washington State for three sessions,

worked out of the Governors Office in Washington State,

served as a state representative in Michigan, winning in 2010 by 53 percent in a Democrat district while being grossly outspent.

been an agricultural cooperative president

been a school business manager for over 10 years and

traveled to 41 countries.

The result is a much broader perspective on the issues while retaining my conservative point of view.

Endorsements: None locally as I have not sought them.

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I began this campaign because there were big issues that were not being addressed, and if not solved, the burdens would fall on my grandchildren and your grandchildren.

the huge and growing national debt fueled by unbelievably large annual federal budget deficits,

our changing climate,

skyrocketing health care costs,

immigration reform,

the projected insolvency of social security and more.

I have written about them in depth in my blog, which is linked to my campaign website. No fancy slogans. No 30-second sound bites. No avoiding the hard issues. No more politics as usual with me. And I am the only candidate who has been addressing these issues in the campaign.

These issues are still important but are now superseded by the COVID-19 crisis and the economic slowdown.

We need our representative in Congress to have the experience, knowledge and mature judgment to deal with these issues.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I value input from multiple sources, as I realize I cant be an expert in all fields. So, I have learned how to work with many people of differing viewpoints, while retaining my ability to sort out fact from fiction, data from hyperbole, analysis from polemics, and to determine what really is the truth. Sometimes I find my initial perspective is wrong. This openness to examine my own beliefs allows others of opposing views to willingly work with me and to often alter their views as we seek common ground.

Practicing this method, I have served as moderator for Better Angels and National Issues Forum, as well as a discussion leader for Global Minnesota.

This, together with my expertise in many fields and willingness to think independently will allow me to be and effective thought leader in Congress, and not simply a back bench follower.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

While I opposed Obamacare, I see a national health program as inevitable as the solution for the 30-plus percent of the total health care costs being administrative costs, far above other countries costs. That is, we need to lower the enormous costs imposed by the confusion of multiple insurance companies and multiple policies with differing coverages.

The abuse of the patent laws which allow pharmaceutical companies to essentially continuously extend their patents must be stopped, so generics can effectively compete at lower prices.

I dont like it, but the health care industry is broken, and movement to a single payer system appears inevitable if we are to ever control health care costs. This can be done while retaining the bulk of the system as private businesses as some countries have already done.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget? With exploding federal budget deficits, promising tax cuts now appears to only be pandering to the anti-tax crowd. I dont pander. Projected increases in interest costs on our national debt and rising health care costs with their effects on Medicare and Medicaid make the challenge even more daunting. However, continuing or expanding tax credits for larger community based solar projects would be a better investment than less efficient tax credits for individual home installations. Eliminating some of the many subsidies for the fossil fuel industry would be a place to look for offsets. Eliminating some of the excessive number of military posts within the U.S. is another possibility, although politically difficult.

Eventually we will need to raise taxes to avoid the financially hazardous national debt to GDP ratios that have endangered other countries economies. A value added tax which does not discourage savings and investment would be the best choice.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Any sensible immigration policy starts with secure borders. This means we need to have an effective wall in some places on our southern border while in other places electronic surveillance is likely a more cost-effective solution. Enforcement of the laws is necessary at the employer level, using E-verify.

But, if we have secure borders and strong enforcement, we will need to have a robust guest worker program as many industries rely on these workers. We will need to have a pathway to citizenship for those brought to the U.S. by their parents as minors. Other illegal immigrants who have been here for many years without otherwise running afoul with the law should have some pathway to permanent legal residency. The lottery immigration program quotas should be shifted to increasing the number of skilled workers which are in short supply in many industries.

Residence: Cottage Grove

Family: Married; five children. Ouryoungest lives at home and has special needs (Down syndrome and autism.) The other four are either still in college, or on to their own lives.

Education: Juris doctorate (2004), Western State University College of Law

Qualifications: I am an attorney and small businessman. Ive been an advocate for individuals, small businesses, the disabled, and immigrants my entire career. I come from a military family, and I was taught to lead and stand by my values no matter the opposition. Im an uniter who seeks common ground with a proven history of success. If that fails, I stick to my values and fight until I win. In this arena of acrimony that infects our politics, I offer a new voice and a fresh perspective on the issues. I am both an uniter, and a fighter.

Endorsements: I am not pursuing endorsements until the 2nd District endorsement process is complete. I do not think candidates should be amassing and spending funds from our citizens to advocate to a small group of less than 350 that will make the Republican local endorsement decision which many do not realize amounts to less than 1/10th of 1 percent (0.10 percent, in fact) of the voting populace (350 delegates/337,000 voting in 2018). That is wasteful.

1) Why should you be the endorsed candidate in the 2nd District?

Here are the facts: Jason Lewis won CD2 in 2016 with 47 percent of the vote; he lost in 2018 with 47 percent of the vote. These facts offer a stark truth hardline conservative Republicans have support from voters in CD2 amounting to only about 47 percent.

I am a fiscally conservative Republican, but a social moderate; and not an extreme right-winger. If an extremist is endorsed instead of me, Republicans will receive 47 percent of the vote and lose in November. I differ from my fellow candidates; I disagree with the calls for no restrictions on freedom, ever and believe a reasoned public health approach to the pandemic is preferable. Even when all seems lost, act to protect the lives of others. Take no action that leads to needless death nor permit the same. Embrace life, and find purpose therein. If you do, you will be made whole.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I like to use the term polarized, because what I see is outside influences such as social media or biased narratives pushing people into opposite corners. I dont see Red states and Blue States we are 50 Red, White and Blue states. Effective leadership is needed to build consensus instead of acrimony and to seek the good of the American people over political gain, especially in these times. Otherwise, we will continue to have a polarized government.

I will never be a party to that. I am an outsider and Im beholden to no one.

I will seek consensus. We are all Americans even if we disagree. We are not living in the Jason Bourne movie the Democratic elites have been spinning, and our politics should not be trying to get points for Gryffindor & Slytherin houses. We should be working together. I will do that.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? In not, what other solutions would you propose?

Americans have the best health care providers and practitioners in the world, but new ideas will be needed as the country recovers from the devastation of this invading microscopic killer.

My health plan calls for transparency in all aspects of health care and will eliminate surprise billing. I want to empower patients, providers and practitioners by increasing intra-state competition, and adopt the One Price Rule. The One Price Rule states simply that the price of a drug or service provided to a patient or practitioner cannot deviate based on who or where the recipient is located. We must expand and empower health care savings accounts.

The focus on third party payers providing managed care being equated with health care must end. Health insurance is not the same thing as health care. We must prohibit discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and fund Medicare for the less fortunate and disabled.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget?

I believe in fiscal responsibility and limited government. The government should tax only what it needs to function and no more. It should not run a deficit, and likewise, there should be no surplus. Never has this topic been more relevant than in todays stimulus days.

The government has simple roles it must provide for fairness in the marketplace, but otherwise allow commerce to thrive; it must apply the Constitutions principles, and it must provide for the common defense. Spending and proposals outside those arenas should always be met with skepticism. In recent days, much has been asked of our government to protect the well being of our fellow citizens. I support this wholeheartedly, but we must be cautious about the danger to our country that doing too much will have, as well as the devastation not doing enough will cause. I will provide bold leadership.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Unlike other candidates, I have a great deal of experience in this regard because I practice in the immigration courts. I would support a requirement that asylum be sought at the point of entry, or a claim of asylum barred if an immigrant is found to be illegally in the United States. I would support legislation to bar birthright citizenship.

I am completely against the over-reach of individual trial judges constantly using a nationwide injunction to reach beyond the parties before them and attempt to enact immigration policy contrary to the directives of the president. The Supreme Court has repeatedly rebuked trial judges for this, but the practice continues. I would bar it by making an injunction of nationwide scope an original petition solely to be brought in the U.S. Supreme Court. They will deal with the most critical matters, and deny those which are not pressing.

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2nd District GOP candidates address the issues | Apple Valley - ECM Publishers