As the presidential election comes to a close today, it’s important that Minnesotan voters have a consensus on who their Minnesota Republican representatives are within the House of Representatives. If you haven’t yet voted, here is an overview of our three Republican representatives: Brad Frinstad, Tom Emmer, and Pete Staber. These officials represent the 1st, 6th, and 8th districts, respectively.
Firstly, I want to discuss Brad Finstad’s rise to political power and personal background. Born near the New Ulm area in 1976, Finstad learned from an early age the importance of hard work, agriculture, and rural life by helping out on the family farm. His commitment to community and agriculture led him to pursue and obtain a degree in agriculture education; with a focus on rural leadership development from the University of Minnesota. Running for congressional office on August 9th, 2022, Finstad won representation of the 1st district of Minnesota within the House of Representatives. Currently, his congressional ideas pursue infrastructure, business development, and public service.
Attending St. Thomas Academy college-preparatory high school in Mendota Heights, Tom Emmer learned the ropes of responsibility and self-reliance; standpoints he continues to hold within his political roles. A longtime star hockey player, Emmer attended Boston College and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Beginning as a state legislator, Emmer held a strong opposition to same-sex marriage. Emmer entered Congress in 2015, earning a quick reputation for his legislative skills. Currently, he serves as Majority Whip, (third-ranking position in GOP caucus), reflecting his ability to influence members on legislative priorities. Representing the 6th district, Emmer holds a strong voice for republican citizens within the Northern suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Cloud. Emmer’s strong legislative acumen and adaptability to evolving politics make him a key Republican representative to the state of Minnesota.
The last Minnesotan Republican congressional representative I would like to discuss is Pete Stauber. Growing up in Duluth, Minnesota, Stauber was a star hockey player, earning a Division 1 scholarship to play at Lake Superior State University. Soon after, he briefly joined the Detroit Red Wings organization, before returning back to Minnesota.
Before his congressional career, he served 22 years in law enforcement with the Duluth Police Department, serving as a union leader and area commander. His political rise to Congress started in 2018, when he emphasized issues critical to Northern Minnesota (causing him to represent the 8th district). Headlining himself as a pro-labor Republican, Stauber emphasizes the importance of mining, labor, and law enforcement. Additionally, Stauber is against the democratic viewpoints on border control. During the Biden administration, Stauber vocally despised the border security and drug trafficking affiliations, believing that republican representation within the executive branch would lead to better border control.
All in all, in a state with long-lasting Democratic domination, Brad Finstead, Tom Emmer, and Pete Stauber hold an extreme portion of power among Republican citizens of Minnesota. If Minnesota voters were knowledgeable about their current house representatives, they would be able to make a more informative vote towards the election and align their values. I hope that this article provides more insight to Republican Minnesotans and voters as a whole about who represents our legislation, and helps them make the best decision come Tuesday afternoon.
