Four ways Rep. Angie Craig and Joe Teirab clash and one way they agree

Democratic U.S. Rep Angie Craig and Republican challenger Joe Teirab clashed over several hot-button campaign issues during two recent debates as they worked to distinguish themselves for voters.

MPR News hosted the initial Second Congressional District debate Oct. 4 and the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce held the second and final face-off Monday in Lakeville. Thomas Bowman, who is running as a “constitutional conservative” in the hotly contested race, did not participate in either debate.

Teirab is a political newcomer and Craig is seeking a fourth term. Here are four ways they differ and one thing they agree on.

Craig has drawn attention to Teirab’s opposition to abortion, including answers he gave in a survey from Minnesotans Concerned for Life. Teirab answered the survey that, if he was elected, he would not support legislation to weaken anti-abortion laws on the books nationwide.

“What Joe has done is pledged that he would do nothing to stop those states from banning abortion, even in the case of rape or incest,” Craig said.

She also criticized Teirab for serving on the board of what she called a crisis pregnancy center — organizations that steer women facing unplanned pregnancies away from abortion to other options.

Teirab has defended his work with what he calls a pregnancy resource center, saying his mother utilized it when she learned she was pregnant with him. He’s accused Craig of using abortion as a political “wedge issue.”

“I’m against a federal ban, this is not a federal issue, this is a state issue,” Teirab said.

Teirab tied Craig to rising costs and inflation through her support for President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act.

“I’m running for United States Congress because I can’t sit idly by while I feel like the American Dream that I’ve been blessed to live is slipping away,” Teirab said. Policies supported by Craig and other Democrats, he said, “has thrown gas on the inflation fire.”

Craig responded that she supports a bill that would put limits in place to stop price-gouging while exploring the underlying causes of price spikes. She wants to make tax changes that will benefit workers and small businesses.

“This is an area — gas prices, grocery prices, prescription drug costs — that I’ve been laser-focused on as a member of Congress from the Second District,” Craig said.

Craig noted that Teirab was caught on tape earlier this year discussing possible Social Security changes with a voter, including privatizing the program and raising the retirement age.

Teirab said while his comments were confusing, he does not want to do either of those things.

Craig said she has a bill that would end federal taxes on Social Security and cover the cost by having higher earners pay more into the system.

Teirab condemned Craig’s vote against a Republican-backed border security bill that passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, saying she’s failed to do anything to address the immigration crisis.

“You voted against a border security bill. I think it was even after you visited the border,” Teirab said.

Craig replied that she repeatedly criticized the president’s handling of the border crisis. She supported a bipartisan bill to improve the asylum process and send new resources to better secure the border.

But House Republicans refused to take it up after former President Donald Trump spoke out against the bill, Craig said.

“The former president told his party, we don’t want you to pass it because it will help me politically if there is a problem at the southern border,” she said.

Craig and Teirab had points of agreement throughout both debates. One of the more notable ones was the outcome of the 2020 election, which Trump maintains he won.

“It was fair. It was unambiguous. Joe Biden was elected as president,” said Teirab, who as a former federal prosecutor helped convict a Minnesota man who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Asked if there were any circumstances that would cause her to vote against certifying the results of the 2024 election, Craig said: “I believe in the integrity of America’s elections.”