Until 8 p.m. includes Twin Cities area

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The second highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. House offered assistance Thursday to three Minnesota candidates, underscoring a cluster of competitive congressional races on the state's fall horizon.

Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House minority whip, held separate fundraisers and appeared at other events with Rep. Rick Nolan from the 8th District and two Democrats vying for Twin Cities area seats, Angie Craig in the open 2nd District and Terri Bonoff in the 3rd District.

Hoyer said Minnesota provides his party "a real opportunity" to make up ground in a Congress where Republicans have a hefty majority, suggesting Donald Trump is a down-ballot drag on suburban Republicans. Besides Craig, Democrats are high on Bonoff, a state senator from Minnetonka taking on four-term GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen, who has breezed to re-election in recent years and has a huge campaign-cash advantage.

Hoyer spent the morning with Craig at a Lakeville paper factory, hearing from area business officials about their concerns. He earlier raised money with the former medical device company executive and kicked off a door-knocking campaign with her the night before.

"We've got some really dynamite candidates, and Angie Craig is one of our best," Hoyer said, adding,  "Angie Craig is a can-do person. She's showed that all her life."

Craig awaits the winner of a four-way Republican primary on Tuesday featuring consultant Matthew Erickson, former state Sen. John Howe, former radio show host Jason Lewis and manufacturing company owner Darlene Miller. Lewis has the Republican Party endorsement but Miller has the backing of retiring Congressman John Kline.

The Democrats' round table audience highlighted the swing nature of the district south of the Twin Cities that stretches into farm country. While there were some attendees prone to vote Democratic, not all were in tune with prevailing party positions.

A commercial real-estate broker said financial lending laws enacted after the last recession were too onerous and are causing a strain on community banks. The discussion's host, Performance Office Papers president and founder Russ DeFauw, said promises of free college --variations of which have come from presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and one-time opponent Bernie Sanders -- are "not only a fantasy but, in my opinion, a gross misallocation of resources."

Craig stressed that her own position is narrower than free college, saying her goal is to find ways to help graduates leave college without debt.

"I do think we can do a lot more in this country to make college more affordable," she said, suggesting that the government offer tax credits for private employers for helping pay down debt for their workers or providing incentives for current workers to take more courses.

Craig said she appreciated the chance to sound out the business group.

"As a person who is asking voters to send her to Washington, I need to hear what's working and what's not working with the federal government," she said.

From Lakeville, Hoyer was off to a fundraising luncheon for Nolan, who is again being challenged by Republican Stewart Mills after the two waged an expensive and close race in 2014.

Hoyer said the House Democratic conference is keeping tabs on the northeastern Minnesota rematch.

"Are we concerned yes? He's had tight races," Hoyer said, putting Nolan among three or four races nationally where an incumbent Democrat faces a stiff test. He added, "The good news is they're all doing very well. They're out-raising their opponents. Their numbers and their polls are good. And almost every one of them I've talked to thinks the Trump vs. Clinton race is helping them."

Politics and Government News

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Brian Bakst

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Second-in-command for U.S. House Democrats checks in on a trio of big Minnesota races, two where his party is on offense and one where an incumbent has a stiff test.

Number two congressional Democrat blitzes Minnesota

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