Rick Nolan gets Teamsters endorsement in 8th District

The Teamsters Union endorses former Congressman Rick Nolan for the DFL nomination in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

Nolan hopes for the chance to run against freshman incumbent Republican Chip Cravaack.

Nolan accepted the endorsement outside the Teamsters local union hall in Duluth. He said the union movement and collective bargaining rights are under assault, and pledged to champion unions and the middle class.

"When elected to congress from the 8th district, I intend to be one of the strongest champions for organized labor that the halls of congress have ever witnessed," Nolan said.

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Nolan is battling former Duluth City Councilman Jeff Anderson and former state Sen. Tarryl Clark for the DFL nomination in the 8th District.

Whoever wins the DFL nomination will have a difficult fight against Cravaack, Nolan said.

Next week a court-appointed redistricting panel will unveil new boundaries for the states congressional and legislative districts.

"Most people feel that regardless of what the court does, the district will probably be a little more Republican after next Tuesday," Nolan said. "It's going to be a real tough election contest. It will be difficult for a Democrat to win."

Nolan has pledged to abide by the DFL's endorsement in May. But his opponents haven't, which means the race to challenge Cravaack may not be decided until the August primary.

Nolan served in Congress for three terms in the 1970s.