>> WELCOME TO "MEET THE CANDIDATES".

LOCAL ELECTION FORUM FOR PIONEER PBS.

THIS SEASON WE ASK EVERY CANDIDATE THE SAME LIST OF QUESTIONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF LEGISLATOR THEY WILL BE IF ELECTED.

IN THIS EPISODE WE WILL MEET CANDIDATES FROM MINNESOTA HOUSE DISTRICT 9A.

DISTRICT LINES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE 2020 CENSUS.

DISTRICT 9A IS MADE OF GRANT, TRAVERS AND WILKIN COUNTIES AND PORTION OF OTTERTAIL COUNTY.

FERGUS FALLS, BRECK ON RIDGE AND PELICAN RAPIDS.

TO FIND OUT WHICH DISTRICT YOU LIVE VISIT MN VOTES.ORG.

NOW LET'S "MEET THE CANDIDATES".

WE WILL START WITH DFL CANDIDATE NANCY JOST.

>> HELLO.

I'M NANCY JOST, THE DFL ENDORSED CANDIDATE FOR MINNESOTA HOUSE DISTRICT 9A.

I GREW UP ON A FARM BETWEEN ALBERT MINNESOTA WITH MY PARENTS AND 7 SIBLINGS.

I GRADUATED FROM ALBERTO HIGH SCHOOL AND LATER GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MORSE.

I ALSO HAVE AN EARLY CHILDHOOD PARENT LICENSURE FROM ST.

CLOUD STATE.

I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND 8 GRANDCHILDREN AND LIVED IN FERGUS FALLS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND BEEN IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD FOR 50 YEARS.

I'M READY TO USE MY EXPERIENCES AND MY SKILLS TO BE THE BEST DISTRICT 9A REPRESENTATIVE I CAN BE.

>> WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR DISTRICT?

>> I AM RUNNING FOR MINNESOTA HOUSE DISTRICT 9A BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE IN OUR STATE.

AS PAUL WELLSTONE SAID WE ALL DO BETTER WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER.

I WANT TO HELP US ALL DO BETTER.

I'M RUNNING TO REPRESENT MY DISTRICT BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT LITTLE CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR START IN LIFE.

I ALSO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT WOMEN'S ISSUES, THE ELDERLY, MOTHER EARTH, EDUCATION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AND IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

WE NEED ELECTED OFFICIALS IN OFFICE THAT CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR STATE.

I HAVE DEDICATED MY LIFE AND MY CAREER TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES, YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE CAREGIVERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHICH MAKE OUR ECONOMY THRIVE AND MINNESOTAN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE.

I'M A LIFELONG RURAL ADVOCATE MAKING SURE THAT DECISIONS MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH AND SUPPORTING STATE LEGISLATORS AND AGENCY STAFF.

TESTIFYING AT THE LEGISLATURE AND WORKING WITH LOCAL CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.

AS WELL AS FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DEPARTMENTS TO BRING RESOURCES TO OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

>> MY TOP PRIORITY FOR THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS SUPPORTING THE ISSUES THAT WILL MAKE MINNESOTA THE BEST PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE AND AS TO THRIVE.

AS A RURAL ADVOCATE, I WILL CHAMPION THE ISSUES THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, TO RAISE A FAMILY AND TO GROW OLD IN BUT TOP ISSUES THAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT ALL CENTER ON CARING FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING OUR YOUNGEST AND OUR OLDEST.

I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN MAKING SURE SYSTEMS TREAT PEOPLE EQUALLY IN THE WORKFORCE, IN EDUCATION, IN HEALTHCARE AND IN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM.

I BELIEVE WE MUST CARE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT TO PROTECT IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>> WHAT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE DO YOU BRING TO THE MINNESOTA HOUSE?

>> ONE OF THE TOP THINGS I WILL BRING AS A REPRESENTATIVE IS MY COMMITMENT IS DEDICATION TO FINDING SOLUTIONS THAT WILL WORK FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I'M A LEADER WITH A DEEP BELIEF IN WHAT'S FAIR AND WHAT'S RIGHT.

I BELIEVE IN WORKING WITH OTHERS, WITH HONESTY EMPATHY, INTEGRITY AND BY LISTENING RESPECTFULLY.

LEGISLATORS MIGHT NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS SOLUTIONS.

HOPEFULLY THEY COME TO PROBLEMS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES, WHICH WILL HELP DEVELOP CREATIVE COMPROMISES THAT MOVE MINNESOTA FORWARD.

BECAUSE IN THE END, WE ARE ALL ON TEAM MINNESOTA.

I WILL WORK TO FIND "COMMON GROUND" ACROSS PARTY LINES AND AM COMMITTED TO GETTING THE WORK DONE.

IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, I CONSISTENTLY WORK ACROSS PARTY LINES ADVOCATING FOR RURAL MINNESOTA AND ALWAYS BY STARTING WITH RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.

TRYING TO FIND OUR COMMONALITIES, HAVING FUN AND LAUGHING TOGETHER, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE OACH OTHER FIRST AS FELLOW HUMANS.

I HAVE A LONG HISTORY REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT TO BUILD STATEWIDE INITIATIVES, ENSURING RURAL PERSPECTIVES ARE HEARD AND ADDRESSED.

I HAVE SERVED AS ADVISOR OF THE WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY TASK FORCE AND WAS APPOINTED AS A CHAIRPERSON FOR THE MINNESOTA EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL.

I HAVE WORKED AS A CHILD CARE TEACHER, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED PROFESSIONAL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY EDUCATOR AND ASSISTANT COORDINATOR AND AN EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVOCATE ON COUNTLESS DOUGH COALITIONS.

IN 2018 I WAS AWARDED THE NANCY LATIMER AWARD FOR MY LEADERSHIP AND STATEWIDE IMPACT ON THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

WE NEED MORE WOMEN AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORTING POLICIES AND PRIORITIES THAT IMPACT FAMILIES.

>> WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA?

>> MY VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS HUBERT HUMPHREY ONCE SAID.

THE MORAL TEST OF GOVERNMENT IS HOW THAT GOVERNMENT TREATS THOSE WHO ARE IN THE DAWN OF LIFE, THE CHILDREN; THOSE WHO ARE IN THE TWILIGHT OF LIFE, THE ELDERLY; THOSE WHO ARE IN THE SHADOWS OF LIFE, THE SICK, THE NEEDY AND THE HANDICAPPED.

MY VISION FOR MINNESOTA IS A PLACE WHERE WE PRIORITIZE CARING FOR CHILDREN, THEIR PARENTS, OUR ELDERLY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

I ENVISION A MINNESOTA THAT SURROUNDS PARENTS WITH THE RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DO THE HARD AND IMPORTANT WORK OF PARENTING.

I SEE A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES CAN ACCESS AND RECEIVE THE AFFORDABLE CARE THEY NEED TO BE HEALTHY.

I SEE US CARING FOR OUR ELDERS AND RESPECTING THEIR WISDOM.

I SEE US CARING FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR STATE.

WE ALSO CARE FOR THE CAREGIVERS, THE PEOPLE WHO STEP IN EVERY DAY TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.

IT'S LONG OVERDUE THAT WE PAY RESPECT TO OUR EDUCATORS, OUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND EVERYONE CARING FOR THOSE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

IN MY VISION FOR MINNESOTA, I SEE ALL PEOPLE BEING ACCEPTED AND DIVERSITY BEING CELEBRATED.

MY ENTIRE CAMPAIGN CENTERS ON PEOPLE, OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE, AND THIS IS THE VALUE I WILL LEAD WITH IN ST. PAUL.

>> NOW, A CLOSING STATEMENT.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF, THE ISSUES I CARE ABOUT AND MY VISION FOR MINNESOTA.

IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE ME YOUR LEGISLATOR, I WILL TAKE THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY.

I WILL HELP MAKE POLICY WITH INTEGRITY AND WITH ALL OF YOU IN MIND.

AS ONE OF MY T-SHIRTS SAYS, YOU WILL GET THE MOST WITH JOST.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT NANCY JOST AND HER WEBSITE NANCY JOST.COM: NEXT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE JEFF BACKER.

>> I'M JEFF BACKER RUNNING FOR THE HOUSE SEAT 9A.

I LIVE WITH MY WIFE IN BROWNS VALLEY MINNESOTA, I VOLUNTEER AS AN EMT FOR THE BROWNS VALLEY AMBULANCE SERVICE.

I HAVE DONE THAT FOR 28 YEARS.

SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, JOB CREATOR WITH MY FINAL DWIN BROTHER.

SO THERE'S TWO OF ME.

WE RUN BUSINESSES WITH THE LOCAL HARDWARE STORE IN BROWNS VALLEY, MINNESOTA, FAMILY GO-CARTS, AND STOPPER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME IS THE INCREASE OF PRICES.

IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE GOVERNMENT LIVES WITHIN THEIR MEANS.

WE HAVE A HUGE SURPLUS.

THAT MONEY BELONGS BACK TO YOU THE TAXPAYER.

WE DO NOT NEED MORE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE SEEN HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WITH THE FEEDING PROGRAM AND SO FORTH.

WE ALSO NEED TO SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AS AN EMT, I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH THE TRAVERS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BIG STONE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE I BACK THE OFFICERS IN BLUE, MAROON AND BROWN, AND WE NEED TO DO THE SAME.

WE HAVE SEEN INCREASE IN MURDERS IN THE METRO AREA, INCREASE IN CARJACKING.

WE NEED TO MAKE THAT A CHANGE.

ALSO WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTS.

PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, WORKING WITH TEACHERS TOGETHER SO WE CAN HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.

>> WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR DISTRICT?

>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD THE HONOR TO SERVE AS STATE REP SINCE 2015.

I WAS ELECTED AND SERVED FOUR TERMS.

WHY I ENJOY WHAT I DO AS A STATE REP IS WHEN YOU VOLUNTEER AS AN EMT, WHEN YOU ARE ALSO A JOB CREATOR, YOU WILL LEARN TO SERVE PEOPLE, NOT JUST YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS A REP BUT YOU SERVE AS A RUN ON EMT.

YOU ALSO SERVE YOUR CUSTOMERS AND YOU SERVE YOUR STAFF, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT MEANS TO HELP STATE GOVERNMENT.

WE HAVE PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE INFLATION, AND THE BIDEN-WALZ INFLATION THAT'S OUT OF CONTROL.

WE HAVE CRIME THAT WE NEED TO GET AHOLD OF YOU.

WE ALSO NEED TO GET AHOLD OF WITH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM GIVING PARENTS THE RIGHT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN VARIOUS CAPACITY OVER THE YEARS, YOU LEARN TO LISTEN.

GOOD LORD GAVE US TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH FOR A REASON.

YOU LEARN TO LISTEN, LEARN TO ASK QUESTIONS AND YOU LEARN TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING RIGHT NOW THAT IS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR IMAGE INSTEAD OF HELPING MINNESOTA MOVE FORWARD.

DO I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS?

OF COURSE I DON'T.

BUT AM I WILLING TO WORK?

I'M A HARD WORKER.

ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT.

I WANT TO SERVE AND HELP OTHERS.

GOVERNMENT IS TOO BIG RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE MAKERS, TO TAKE THOSE RISKS TO HELP OTHER FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO BE LESS DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS IF YOU GO DOWN FROM CANADA DOWN TO IOWA, NO LONGER DO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY LARGER ON THE MINNESOTA SIDE.

WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

>> MY PRIORITIES, ONE OF MY BIGGEST PRIORITIES, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT ARE GOING ALONG, BUT MY NO.

1 CHALLENGE IS WITH SENIORS.

I SERVE ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

AS AN EMT, I SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR NURSING HOMES, ASSISTANT LIVING, INTERMEDIATE CARE.

LAST YEAR WE HAD THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE LEAD THE WAY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR NURSING HOMES.

THE GOVERNOR AND THE HOUSE MAJORITY DEMOCRATS FROM THE METRO DID NOT EVEN PUT THAT ON THEIR LIST AS A MAJORITY.

OUR NURSING HOMES ARE STRUGGLING.

IN 2014 I RAN ON THAT CAMPAIGN ALONG WITH 8 OTHER GREATER MINNESOTA REPS TO MAKE A GENERATIONAL CHANGE.

WE DID THAT IN 2015.

WE ARE AT THAT POINT AGAIN.

WE NEED ANOTHER HUGE CHANGE BENEFITS FOR OUR NURSING HOMES, NOT JUST MONEY, THROWING MONEY AT THINGS IS NOT THE ONLY ANSWER.

THEY DO NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S CAUSING THAT.

IS THERE REGULATIONS THAT ARE HARMING THAT?

THAT'S NO.

1.

NO.

2, OF COURSE IS INFLATION.

WE NEED TO GET RID OF GOVERNMENT WASTE.

WE JUST SAW $250 MILLION UNDER OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WITH FEEDING THE KIDS DURING COVID THAT WAS WASTED.

WE REALLY NEED TO FIND -- THERE ARE A LOT OF WASTE IN GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WASTE.

$250 MILLION OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.

WE ALSO NEED TO OF COURSE, AS I HAVE TALKED BEFORE, CRIME, CRIME IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED CARJACKING AND WE HAVE SEEN INCREASES WITH MURDER RATES.

WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.

>> WHAT UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE DO YOU BRING TO THE MINNESOTA HOUSE?

>> MY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE I BRING TO THE MINNESOTA HOUSE IS THAT SERVICE MENTALITY.

I VOLUNTEER AS EMT FOR BROWNS VALLEY AMBULANCE SERVICE.

I HAVE DONE THAT FOR 28 YEARS.

WHEN YOU HELP INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, YOU LEARN TO SERVE THOSE.

SELDOM WHEN THE PAGER GOES OFF AS A VOLUNTEER EMT, YOU ARE EXPECTING THAT.

YOU LITERALLY DROP EVERYTHING TO PUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS FIRST.

THAT TYPE OF SERVICE MENTALITY HAS SEARCHED WELL AS A STATE REP AND WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE WELL AS YOUR STATE REP. ALSO I TEACH RELEASE TIME FOR OUR CHURCH.

I THINK THAT HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.

ALONG WITH THAT, I ALSO SERVE AS AN ELDER IN OUR CHURCH, AND THEN I'M A JOB CREATOR.

MY TWIN BROTHER AND I, WE RUN FOUR BUSINESSES IN MINNESOTA, WHICH IS NOT THE EASIEST THING TO BE A BUSINESS OWNER.

THAT IS WHY WE SEE THE COMMUNITIES ON THE NORTH DAKOTA SIDE AND SOUTH DAKOTA SIDE LARGER FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER AND DOWN TO IOWA.

THERE ARE REASONS FOR THAT, AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THOSE REASONS.

WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

SO BEING A JOB CREATOR, SERVING AS AN EMT, THE WORK THAT I DO FOR CHURCH, THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ALLOWS ME TO SERVE AS YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

PLUS SERVING AS A REP FOR FOUR TERMS NOW, YOU REALLY GET TO LEARN THE SYSTEM.

IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LISTEN TO REACH OUT AND ASK QUESTIONS.

IT'S ANOTHER ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PROFESSIONALLY AND SUCCESSFULLY ARM WRESTLE THE AGENCIES AT ST. PAUL.

THERE'S SOMETIMES YOU CAN WORK NEXT TO THEM SIDE BY SIDE.

BUT AS A LOT OF LANDOWNERS IN MY AREA KNOWS, YOU ALSO HAVE TO ARM WRESTLE THE DNR, MPCA AT TIMES AND BOWSER.

SO THAT'S A PERSPECTIVE THAT I BRING TO YOU AS YOUR NEXT STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

>> WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA?

>> JUST LIKE MANY OF YOU, YOU HAVE CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

THAT IS WHERE OUR FUTURE IS.

WE HAVE TO CREATE A FUTURE THAT ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR GOD GIVEN ABILITIES TO HELP OTHERS, TO SERVE OTHERS, TO MAKE A LIVING.

IT'S HARD TO MAKE A LIVING RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE REGULATIONS THAT ARE JUST GOOFY IN MINNESOTA.

WE HAVE GOVERNMENT THAT HAS GROWN SO LARGE AT A RATE THAT OUR INDIVIDUAL INCOME, FAMILY INCOME IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH IT.

WE HAVE JUST ON CHILD CARE ALONE, BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, IT'S HARD TO HAVE CHILD CARE BECAUSE OF HOW GOVERNMENT MISUSES MONEY, AND OVER TAXES, OUR YOUNG FAMILIES, AND THAT MEANS BOTH MOM AND DAD IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS HAVE TO WORK.

THAT PUTS A STRAIN ON CHILD CARE.

WE NEED TO HAVE GOVERNMENT LIVE WITHIN THE MEANS.

WE JUST SAW HERE RECENTLY $250 MILLION OF FRAUD BEING MISUSED FOR FEEDING CHILDREN DURING COVID.

WE NEED TO BE BETTER STEWARDS.

WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION AND AN ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS NOT BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF YOUR RESOURCES.

WE IN THE HOUSE, WHEN WE HAD THE MAJORITY, US REPUBLICANS, WE LOOKED AT YOUR RESOURCES, YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY THAT YOU SENT TO THE STATE AS YOURS, NOT SOMETHING TO WASTE.

SO MINNESOTA HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE, BUT GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE LIMITED.

GOVERNMENT HAS TO WORK WITHIN THEIR MEANS, AND GOVERNMENT CANNOT ALWAYS KEEP GOING TO YOUNG FAMILIES' POCKETS, JOB CREATORS' POCKETS TO ALWAYS PULL MONEY FROM PROGRAMS THAT ARE WASTEFUL AND FRAUD.

>> NOW, A CLOSING STATEMENT.

>> NOVEMBER 8th, I AM ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE FOR THE HOUSE DISTRICT 9A.

I BELIEVE I HAVE THE SKILLS TO SERVE YOU WELL AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

AS VOLUNTEER EMT, AS A JOB CREATOR, AS A VOLUNTEER IN OUR CHURCH, THOSE CAPACITIES ALLOWS ME TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS EFFECTIVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

ALSO I LEARN HOW TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE STATE.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

INTERESTING STORY.

IT WAS MY SECOND TERM.

ONE OF THE GALS THAT SERVED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, I ASKED HER WHY DO YOU SERVE IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER AS A STAFF MEMBER?

AND SHE SAID I GET TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, 134 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE STATE FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM THE IRON RANGE DOWN TO THE IOWA BORDER TO WHERE I RESIDE ON THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER TO OVER THE WISCONSIN BORDER AND SO FORTH.

THAT'S TRUE.

I GET TO WORK WITH GOOD FOLKS.

NOW, WE ALL ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME GOALS, BUT WE HAVE THE SAME END GOAL.

MEANING THAT WE ALL WANT MINNESOTA TO BE BETTER.

I HAVE LEARNED TO LISTEN.

I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CREATIVE.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU NEED TO ARM WRESTLE FOLKS WITH THE BUREAUCRATS DOWN IN ST. PAUL AND THE METRO CROWD, BECAUSE WE IN GREATER MINNESOTA NEED SOMEONE WITH THAT STRONG VOICE, WITH THE RURAL VALUES.

I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEED FOR GREATER MINNESOTA AND THE VALUES THAT YOU TRUST, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY ON NOVEMBER 8th I'M ASKING YOU TO BE A BACKER BACKER AND VOTE JEFF BACKER.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT JEFF BACKER AT HIS WEBSITE JEFF BACKER.COM.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VOTING, HOW TO REGISTER AND WHAT DISTRICT YOU LIVE IN BY VISITING THE MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE WEBSITE AT MN VOTES.ORG.

REMEMBER, ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8th.

THANKS FOR WATCHING "MEET THE CANDIDATES" ON PIONEER PBS.