Voter guide: Where the 2nd District candidates stand on the issues
Updated: Sept. 24
U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who used to work as a medical device executive, is running for a second term, taking on Republican candidate Tyler Kistner, a Marine Corps veteran.
Here’s a quick look at where they stand on top issues for Minnesotans.
- President Trump
- Police reform
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Gun Control
- Health care
- Education
- Immigration
- Abortion
- Jobs and economy
- Climate change
- Taxes and government spending
- Marijuana
President Trump
Craig: She has, for the most part, voted against measures supported by the Trump administration. In 2019 she voted in favor of articles of impeachment against President Trump. She says she tries to find common ground with the president and work across the aisle.
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Kistner: He has expressed support of the administration, in particular the president’s efforts to increase funding for the military.
Police reform
Craig: She does not support defunding the police but says reform aimed at dismantling racial disparities is needed.
Kistner: He is embracing a law-and-order message. Like Craig, he is also against efforts to defund police.
COVID-19 pandemic
Craig: She has voted for additional economic support for those impacted by the pandemic. She supports legislation aimed at improving contact-tracing.
Kistner: He has pledged to help small businesses and families impacted by the pandemic.
Gun Control
Craig: She supports expanded research on gun violence, instant universal background checks for gun purchases and a ban on the sale of military style semi-automatic weapons.
Kistner: He is against new gun control laws and supports gun education and expanded mental health care as ways to prevent gun violence.
Health care
Craig: She wants to focus on reducing the cost of health care by reducing the price of prescription drugs and a public health option to compete with private insurance companies.
Kistner: He wants to make health care more affordable by offering more choices to patients, transparency in billing and expanded use of Health Savings Accounts. He also supports dropping restrictions on pharmaceutical companies from Canada and Europe which keep them from engaging in our health care market.
Education
Craig: She wants to prioritize funding for public schools, legislation that would make the first two years of higher education free and supports increased funding for two-year and community colleges.
Kistner: He supports giving states more control over education and is a proponent of school choice.
Immigration
Craig: She supports border security but not Trump’s border wall. She also supports reforming ICE and has cosponsored legislation creating a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
Kistner: He supports expanded security, including a border wall.
Abortion
Craig: She supports the “full reproductive rights” of women.
Kistner: He is anti-abortion and supports prohibiting federal funding of abortion and for Planned Parenthood.
Jobs and economy
Craig: She supports trade reform, expanding access to broadband internet to help rural businesses and tax reform that closes loopholes and helps small businesses.
Kistner: He supports reforming and creating new trade agreements with global and regional partners to create jobs.
Climate change
Craig: She has supported legislation taxing carbon emissions and supports technical innovation to combat climate change
.Kistner: He has spoken against expanded energy regulation by the government.
Taxes and government spending
Craig: She has introduced legislation aimed at stemming improper use of taxpayer dollars. She has voted in support on spending packages funding education, rural health care and farming.
Kistner: He supports expanding tax cuts and tax breaks for small businesses. He wants more reform to the national budget, focused on decreased spending.
Marijuana
Craig: She co-sponsored legislation to decriminalize marijuana and has previously voiced her support for the legalization of recreational cannabis for those over 21.
Kistner: He does not appear to have a public stance on marijuana reform.
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