I am a fourth-generation Cuyuna Iron Ranger, born into a blue-collar family of electricians, plumbers, miners and nurses. I am a lifelong hunter and a fisherman who loves the outdoor lifestyle that makes the 8th District a great place to live. I have worked as a union organizer, a State Legislator, Assistant Commissioner at the IRRRB, Congressman Nolan’s 2016 campaign manager, and most recently served as the chief of staff to the Mayor of Minneapolis.
I first got involved in politics in 8th grade when my school experienced massive budget cuts. Because my teachers were the support system for me when my family hit hard times, I understand that public education is about more than textbooks and classrooms – it’s about community and making sure every kid gets a fair shot. So I fought for public education. I stood on the strike lines in Crosby, spoke up at the school board meetings, and marched in Madison. And then I went to the state capitol and got myself on the Education Finance Committee where I helped pass legislation to close the gaps between our richest and our poorest schools. I know that every child deserves the right to a high-quality education, no matter where they live.
To take back the Congress and fight back against republican attacks on Social Security and Medicare, we need to win in districts like the 8th. Our campaign is running on a unifying message, a wealth of grassroots support, and the ability to raise the resources necessary to deliver our message to voters. I believe I am the candidate best-positioned to unite the democratic coalition in the 8th district and appeal to the independents necessary to win this competitive race in November.
Growing up in this district and traveling it extensively the last few month meeting with folks, I know that the challenges facing working families are serious and real. I believe that the people deserve a government that will have their back in equipping them to adapt to the changes of our 21st century economy.
For instance, Bertha in Hibbing is well into her golden years and balancing her rent payments with the ever-increasing price tag for the inhaler and medication she relies on to treat her chronic bronchitis.
While the unemployment rate in St. Louis County sits below the national average at 3.4 percent, jobs across the Arrowhead are going unfilled. Businesses are pulling out all the stops to recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market. At the same time, there are people looking to start a career and support their families, but don’t have the skills required to land those jobs. Barriers in our economy, like the rising cost of childcare and inadequate access to high-speed broadband, are stunting entrepreneurial innovation.
And as the opioid epidemic continues devastating towns throughout the Eighth District, there are still too few treatment options available and too few resources aimed at addressing the crisis.
These problems are going unsolved and families are paying the price for inaction.
Why? Efforts to improve people’s lives are preempted by the people with the biggest checkbooks and elected leaders in their pockets. That’s not a coincidence. That’s how our campaign finance system is designed. There are no limitations on how much special interests can spend to get the results they want.
We need to fix that.
Despite broad, bipartisan support to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, Congress has failed to act. Medicare still can’t negotiate the best prices for our seniors and lower-cost generic drugs are kept off the shelves because big pharma is paying to shut out competition. People like Bertha deserve better. I’ll work with my colleagues to harness the bargaining power of seniors across our country and promote competition in the marketplace.
Research shows that demand for employees with two-year degrees continues to grow. Still, legislation that would lift up the middle class and those trying to make their way into the middle class has repeatedly stalled because private student loan companies have paid to stop efforts to make two-year degrees accessible to all Americans. Growing businesses want people in their towns to be equipped with the high demand skills offered through technical colleges. Families deserve a fair shot at success and opening the door to free two-year education would help ensure they get one.
Even in matters of life and death, the influence of big money has blocked progress. This year, lawmakers from across the state introduced a bipartisan bill that would demand pharmaceutical companies pay one penny for every opioid painkiller they sold, to compensate for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Big pharma sent three dozen lobbyists and killed that legislation.
Patrick Hey from Cotton is all too familiar with how effective those lobbying efforts can be. Patrick lost his 21-year-old daughter Micaila earlier this year when she overdosed. He has since become an advocate, fighting at the Capitol to pass the penny-a-pill legislation that would help make sure fewer stories ended the way Micaila’s did — unable to get the treatment they need and tragically overdosing. Special interests made sure the commonsense legislation didn’t get a vote and denied Patrick the ability help people in his community.
Earlier this week I earned the endorsement of End Citizens United because I’ve made removing dark money from our campaigns a focal point of my platform. I committed to not taking corporate Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions so that voters know my decisions have not been bought and paid for. Unfortunately, that’s a promise my Republican opponent is ineligible to make.
We can change the way we do politics by making meaningful reforms like requiring that PACs disclose their biggest donors, ensuring elected officials focus on doing the people’s work, and taking money out of campaigns and policy decisions.
I come from Crosby-Ironton, a place where actions speak louder than words. As your representative, I’ll dedicate myself to honoring my campaign commitments, ending the influence of money in politics, and getting things done for the people I’m lucky enough to represent.
You can learn more at https://www.joeradinovich.com/