October 2026 Election Updates

Here are my top issues that I'm discussing with all candidates this fall.

Affordable Healthcare for All Minnesotans. Health insurance plans, community hospitals and health systems are in a state of flux in Minnesota. It’s a time of great uncertainty for patients, health plan members (including seniors), and for health care workers. Our state’s future health relies on us asking the hard questions about funding and priorities today. Ask your Rep. and Senator what they have done in the past to make your healthcare more affordable for you and your family.

HCMC Funding Solutions. I recently corresponded with Hennepin Country Commissioner Edelson on this issue. Here is her response from Sept 8, 2026:

"I believe Minnesota needs a more sustainable funding model for HCMC that recognizes its statewide role and does not simply shift increasing costs onto Hennepin County property taxpayers. A state legislative task force is currently examining HCMC’s future, and I am advocating for a long-term state partnership that protects these essential services. There are difficult decisions ahead but protecting HCMC and the people who depend on it will continue to be a priority for me."

Join me in asking Rep. Kraft and Senator Latz where they stand on this issue.

Protecting the BWCA. In a recent google search about Prove It First legislation, Google’s AI was confident that Representative Kraft supported Prove It First legislation. In fact, he does not. I have always found Rep Kraft to be extremely responsive, so I highly recommend reaching out to him or his office directly with questions. I updated the Google AI’s knowledge by sharing an email response from Rep. Kraft from July 21, 2025 that shows his actual position: 

“I absolutely agree that protecting our water in Minnesota, and in particular our most precious water resources, like the Boundary Waters, is critical. To that end I am a co-author on HF309, (and was a co-author for the same bill last session too) that bans sulfide mining in the Boundary Waters and its watershed. This legislation would ban the Twin Metals mine. That said, I do not support the “Prove-It-First” legislation.”

He goes on to explain his position in detail. We need to preserve all Minnesota watersheds for future generations, and Rep Kraft’s position, while well thought-out, falls short on this generational and environmental perspective.

Data Centers and Corporate Tax Breaks. Questions about data centers have been cutting through the two-party system in unexpected ways. Even stated environmentalists have been siding with corporate interests when it comes to data centers. 

Rep. Kraft (DFL) voted "Yes" on House File 16 (HF16), the major Data Center Regulatory Bill, which passed the Minnesota House of Representatives on June 9, 2025. It implemented several complex trade-offs regarding data center operations in Minnesota. Rep. Kraft voted alongside a bipartisan majority consisting of 60 Republicans and 25 Democrats, also including Rep. Youakim. Ask your Rep. and Senator where they stand on this issue.

Public Health Policies.

You may believe Rep. Kraft would support public health initiatives. However, while serving on the City Council in St. Louis Park, MN, Kraft was the one dissenting vote on banning sale of vaping products and e-cigarettes in SLP, MN. “While he was concerned about the number of young people vaping, he felt the ordinance was an open-ended ban that got ahead of federal regulations” (Star Tribune, Jan 7, 2020). 

We deserve a lawmaker that will put environmental and community health ahead of federal regulations, especially now. Ask your lawmakers, not AI, the tough questions, and then challenge them on their answers. Lawmakers need to hear from you. I plan to vote for Rep. Kraft again this year, but I’ll be asking him some more questions first. 

Remember, it is important to ask your candidates these questions directly. Do not rely on AI summaries to get it right. I have recently been surprised to find out just how wrong AI can be when asking about positions on specific legislation or recent voting history.

Here are the candidates that I am especially excited to support this year.

Peggy Flanagan, Candidate for US Senate

Jess Lewis, Candidate for Rep. Dist. 43 B

Tracey Breazeale, Candidate for Rep. Dist. 45 A

Sam Rosemark, Candidate for Senate Dist. 44

Mike Freiberg, Candidate for Minnesota Sen. Dist. 43

Katie Jones, Incumbent Candidate for Rep. Dist. 61 A