Candidate Profiles:Minnesota 8th Congressional District

• Chip Cravaack (R)

Chip Cravaack (R)
• Rick Nolan (DFL)

Rick Nolan (DFL)

Talk about it

U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota 8th Congressional District

Question 1: The Great Lakes -- critical for drinking water, recreational fishing and transportation -- face a variety of threats, from warming water temperatures and invasive species to overflowing sewers and agriculture runoff. Congress appropriated $475 million in 2010 and $310 million in 2011 to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to begin to resolve some of the problems. Do you support continued, increased or decreased funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and why?

Question 2: With Congress’ approval rating at an all-time low, according to a recent Gallup poll, what would you do to improve government’s image and get work done?

Question 3: Plans to expand mining on the Range hold out the promise of additional jobs but also stir concerns of damage to the environment. How would you balance these interests?

Chip Cravaack (R)

Occupation: U.S. representative; former Navy captain and airline pilot

Residence: North Branch

Age: 52

Education: U.S. Naval Academy; M.A. in education, University of West Florida

Endorsements: Republican Party of Minnesota, International Union of Operating Engineers-Local 49, National Rifle Association, National Right to Life, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Minnesota Farm Bureau

Elected and civic experience: U.S. House of Representatives; 24-year Navy veteran; former Northwest Airlines union representative

Hobbies and interests: hunting, shooting, spending time at the cabin, fishing with kids, aviation

Question 1:

As the federal government runs trillion-dollar deficits, it is important that our elected officials work creatively, maximizing the resources we have for our most important programs. Last year I voted for an amendment to reduce funding for climate change programs and increase funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by $50 million.

Question 2:

I ran for office to ensure a better future for our children. I am less concerned with congressional approval polls than with representing my constituents well and getting good legislation passed into law. If entrusted to serve again, I will continue to work across the aisle to enact bi-partisan solutions.

Question 3:

Minnesotans need elected officials who will not say one thing to their constituents and then tell environmental special interests something else. I am unashamedly pro-jobs and pro-mining. Given the stringent federal and state regulations in place, I believe we can expand mining jobs in Minnesota while protecting our environment.

Rick Nolan

Occupation: Small businessman, export sales, sawmill and pallet factory

Residence: Rural Crosby

Age: 68

Education: B.A., University of Minnesota

Endorsements: Gov. Mark Dayton, Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and many other lawmakers, federal and state; United Steelworkers District 11 USW, Minnesota AFL-CIO, Teamsters Joint Council 32, Minnesota Construction and Building Trades Council, Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council, Minnesota Nurses Association, AFSCME Councils 5 and 65, Education Minnesota, Service Employees International Union , United Transportation Union, National Farmers Union, Minnesota Professional Firefighters Association, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, UA Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 11, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 647, International Association of Machinists, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Elected and civic experience: Minnesota House of Representatives; U.S. House of Representatives

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