The opinion editors have invited candidates in Minnesota’s key congressional races to submit commentaries making their case to voters. We conclude with the Eighth District with this article by Jen Schultz, a Democrat. Incumbent Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican, did not respond.

•••

I’m running for Congress because people of the Eighth District deserve a better leader. I will put country above party and be on your side building a better future for everyone.

My grandparents were farmers, and I’m a daughter of a single mother. My father was a firefighter and served our country in Vietnam. My small-town roots instilled in me the value of helping your neighbors.

I know what it’s like to work hard and still struggle to pay bills. I started working at age 14 parking cars at the county fair, then at a restaurant and grocery store. I now live in Duluth with my husband, who is a criminologist, and our two teenage sons. I teach economics, and as a union member, I understand the importance of advocating for working families.

I’m proud to be endorsed by labor unions such as the AFL CIO, AFSCME, BLET, CWA, Education Minnesota, NEA, AFT, Minnesota Nurses Association, IBEW 242, SEIU, UFCW, SMART and USW SOAR. Union members know I fight for workers’ rights.

I served as a state legislator for eight years with a 100% pro-labor voting record. I navigated a divided government, advancing measures improving access to affordable health care, reducing prescription drug costs, closing corporate tax loopholes and securing funding for every infrastructure project in my district, including a new hospital — all with bipartisan support. I was known for solving problems using my expertise in economics and health policy.

I’ve logged more than 70,000 miles listening to the needs of people throughout the district. We hosted more than 50 meet-and-greets, marched in 34 parades, sent more than 30,000 postcards and knocked thousands of doors with hundreds of volunteers. I handed out my cell number everywhere I went. I’m committed to being accessible as your representative.

I will prioritize reducing costs for working families by addressing the high cost of housing, health care and child care; protecting veterans’ services, Social Security and Medicare; ending taxation of Social Security income; ensuring taxes are fair and spent prudently; defending reproductive rights, and fully funding public schools and rural health care facilities.

My opponent, Pete Stauber, is aligned with an extremist faction in Congress. He tried to overturn the 2020 election and voted against investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection that injured 140 police officers. As a member of the Republican Study Committee, he supports restricting Social Security and Medicare. He supports banning abortion, sponsored a bill preventing access to IVF treatment and voted against access to birth control.

Stauber voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which brought jobs and billions in funding for the Blatnik Bridge, roads, lead line replacement, water treatment, airports and broadband. Yet, he didn’t hesitate to take credit.

Stauber voted against domestic manufacturing, against helping veterans exposed to toxins, against funding law enforcement, against affordable child care, against gas price gouging, against limiting use of PFAS, against lowering health care prices and against labor. He supported cutting funding to our public schools by $6 million and opposed student debt relief while his $86,000 PPP loan was forgiven.

Despite being in office for six years, Stauber passed only two of his bills into law — naming a post office and starting a task force. Stauber blames others and complains about issues he should be solving, including border security.

Stauber doesn’t even bother to show up. He fails to host public in-person town hall meetings and ranks in the top 11% for missed votes in Congress. Special interests have contributed over $1 million to his campaign. Only 11% of his donations come from donors who contribute less than $200. He also spent more than $2 million of taxpayer funds on unsolicited mail and communications.

There is a better way forward. A future where we improve lives by investing in people and in our communities. I will be a strong leader for everyone in our district, and I hope to earn your vote.

Jen Schultz, of Duluth, is the Democratic candidate in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District. See JenSchultzForCongress.com.