Editorial counterpoint from Jim Hagedorn: This election gives voters a clear choice — socialism vs. freedom

This election offers a clear choice. Democrats, including my opponent Dan Feehan, offer far-left transformational socialism and the end of the America we grew up with and love. By contrast, Republicans, led by President Donald Trump and congressional leaders like myself, will defend our republic and the Founding Fathers' vision of freedom and opportunity.

I've focused my time in Congress looking out for the interests of our First District — farmers and agriculture; small businesses and their employees. I've supported world-class medical care, transportation projects like completion of Hwy. 14 from Nicollet to New Ulm, and defending and supporting our fine men and women in law enforcement.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee I have supported farmers by championing new trade deals like USMCA to expand exports, forced the EPA to administer the Renewable Fuel Standard as Congress intended and worked to sustain independent farmers by mitigating losses associated with the coronavirus.

As a member of the House Small Business Committee I worked in a bipartisan fashion to enact the Paycheck Protection Program and the Employee Retention Tax Credit to support our small businesses and help them pay and retain employees.

For the Mayo Clinic and our fine rural hospitals I organized a group of 35 Republican and Democratic members of Congress to secure proportionate CARES Act funding. Our hospitals not only provide timely, quality medical care, but offer some of the finest jobs that help drive the economy of our local communities.

To improve southern Minnesota's infrastructure, I helped secure a $22 million federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to complete the Hwy. 14 corridor from Nicollet to New Ulm, a project expected to reduce crashes and save lives on this vital stretch of highway.

Lastly, I have defended and supported the fine men and women of law enforcement who protect and serve our communities. It is an honor to have received the endorsement of the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

Meanwhile, my opponent, Democrat Dan Feehan, is involved in a "pay-to-play" scheme in which his own House Financial Disclosure forms show he was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by three Democrat front groups.

Yet, during our first televised debate, Feehan denied receiving this money lying directly to First District voters. Accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to run for Congress and not performing bona fide work in return would potentially constitute felony violations of Federal Election Commission law. Our campaign has filed a formal FEC complaint against Feehan, who has yet to disclose work product, number of hours worked, consultant contracts, invoices or other substantiation that he was legally employed.

This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. Will we prevail and keep the America we grew up with, the America we love? Or will we fail and enable far-left Democrats like my opponent to transform the United States into a socialist state?

My fight to represent southern Minnesota and deliver for our farmers, small businesses and world-class hospitals is coupled with my commitment to secure America's borders, preserve a strong military and defend our constitutional rights, especially the right to life, the right to keep and bear arms and the right to religious freedom.

Trump and Republicans built the strongest economy in U.S. history with record-low unemployment before we were hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

We built an incredible economy once and are rebuilding it very quickly. Trump is our quarterback and our playbook includes the time-tested pro-growth principle of less regulation, tax reform, U.S. energy independence and trade deals like the USMCA agreement I championed to help America's farmers, small businesses and workers.

On all these concerns, I will continue to work across the aisle in bipartisan fashion and on behalf of southern Minnesotans and the United States of America. Please visit my website, www.JimHagedorn.org, to learn more about my background and positions on the issues.

The First Congressional District seat is southern Minnesota's voice in Congress. I humbly ask for your vote to continue working hard and standing up for our rural values.

Jim Hagedorn, a Republican, represents Minnesota's First Congressional District in the U.S. House.