UMD Professor on the ballot for U.S. Congress
Affordable housing, childcare and education are among the issues Jen Schultz has pledged to champion for the people of Minnesota’s 8th district if elected to the House of Representatives. Schultz served four terms in the Minnesota state legislature and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Schultz addressing constituents at Tom & Jerry's Bar in Hibbing, Minnesota. Image Credits: Hunter Riley
Home to almost 700,000 people and covering more than 27,000 square miles, the 8th district is the largest congressional district in Minnesota.
“The district is large and I am trying to listen to as many people as possible,” Schultz said.
Schultz, who has a PhD in economics from the University of Minnesota, said she was drawn to the field because it would make her one of few women in a traditionally male-dominated profession. Schultz has been a professor of economics at UMD since 2004, and was first elected to Congress in 2014.
“Having an expertise in economics and healthcare was really helpful as a state legislator, because I could work with other advocates on legislation that I knew would help at the state level,” Schultz said.
Schultz said her decision to run for the state legislature was connected to her desire to increase the amount of funding for the Duluth campus of the University of Minnesota, which is allocated through the Twin Cities campus.
“I ran for office initially to work on healthcare reform, but my second reason was to make sure that UMD received its fair share of funding from the state,” Schultz said. “Minnesota has a history of investing in education, and we need to get back to that.”
Schultz authored 55 pieces of legislation during her time in the Minnesota state legislature and co-authored 143. Schultz believes that her background in economics and the eight years she spent in the state legislature has prepared her to represent the people of northern Minnesota in Congress.
“You learn how to get your bills introduced, heard in committee, getting testifiers for the bills, creating support throughout the district and the state for your legislation, and then working with my Republican colleagues to get their support so the bill actually passes, '' Schultz said.
Schultz is running against Republican-incumbent Pete Stauber, who is running for his third term as the representative of Minnesota’s 8th district in Congress.
“If we have two more years of Stauber we are going to lose out on bringing money and manufacturing and domestic production back to the Iron Range and northern Minnesota,” Shultz said, addressing a group of supporters at a fundraiser held at Tom and Jerry’s bar on Thursday night. ““He hasn’t passed one bill that he has sponsored in his four years in Congress.”
Schultz speaks to constituents in Hibbing. Image Credits: Hunter Riley
Jeanie Eckerson, a resident of Hibbing, attended the event and expressed her support for Schultz.
“I have voted for republicans before, but the reason I am here tonight is because I believe women should have a right to say what happens with their own bodies,” said Eckerson.
Schultz brought up the need for young people to get out and vote several times while addressing her supporters.
“It is very important that all young people vote, and they should be voting on things they care about. When I hear from young people it's about the environment, student debt and affordable tuition,” Schultz said. “It's very easy to vote in Minnesota and we want to keep it that way. My opponent is trying to take away same-day voter registration.”
Although her opponent is favored to win, Schultz delivered a hopeful message to her supporters on Thursday night.
“We think we can win,” Schultz said. “We have labor on our side. The name of the game is to get people to vote. We need more than just democrats to win. We need new people to come out and vote, we need independents and moderate republicans.”
In addition to seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate, voters in Minnesota’s 8th district will see races for Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, as well as for many other state, county, and city offices on their ballot on Nov. 8.