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Democratic Rep. Angie Craig and Republican nominee Joe Teirab jockeyed for the upper hand in Minnesota’s main congressional race, with the challenger blaming the incumbent for economic struggles while he was put into a defensive posture on abortion and Social Security.

The showdown on MPR News on Friday was the first head-to-head debate for the 2nd Congressional District rivals.

Craig, a three-term lawmaker, and Teirab, a former prosecutor and ex-Marine, opened with a handshake but quickly parted ways on a range of topics from the economy to abortion to immigration.

Teirab said the economy is what matters most, and Craig shoulders blame for pocketbook pain because of spending bills she supported, which he called “reckless.”

“Congresswoman Craig voted for those bills that threw gas on the inflation fire,” Teirab said. “We need to cut reckless spending, root out waste, fraud and abuse, and we need to lower taxes.”

Craig acknowledged prices have increased but defended the Democratic approach following the pandemic, and she highlighted her bill that would create a federal task force to explore high consumer prices. She also pointed to a successful push by Democrats to cap insulin at $35 a month for seniors. 

“This is an area — gas prices, grocery prices, prescription drug costs — that I’ve been laser focused on as a member of Congress from the Second District,” she said.

Craig tried to portray Teirab as seeking dramatic change to Social Security, arguing he told voters that he would consider raising the retirement age and make other structural changes. He vigorously denied having that stance.

“Look, we made a promise to seniors. We made a promise to veterans. We made a promise to those on Medicare,” Teirab stressed. “We can’t cut any benefits for people that we’ve made promises to and that have been paying into that workforce.”

Both said the nation’s retirement safety net is under strain, and they agreed that benefits for those receiving Social Security checks shouldn’t have to pay federal taxes on those earnings up to a certain level.

The district that runs from the southern Twin Cities suburbs and into farm country around Northfield and LeCenter is likely to be Minnesota’s most competitive U.S. House race on the ballot this year. It’s one of a few seats around the country that will determine which party leads Congress next year. Craig has represented the district since 2019, but the margins of her past three victories have been slim. 

Abortion rights are central to Craig’s reelection campaign and a topic that is front and center of this year’s election. Craig says if reelected, she would work to codify abortion rights into law nationally after the U.S. Supreme Court upended the legal landscape in 2022. 

Teirab said he opposes a federal abortion ban and believes the parameters should be up to states to decide. He accused Craig of using abortion as a “political wedge issue.”

“I’m running to represent Minnesota’s Second Congressional District and, as you know, abortion access in Minnesota is available in all nine months of pregnancy,” Teirab said. 

Craig said leaving the decision up to states strips American women of their rights to make their own health care decisions. 

“If you were running for state office, your commentary about state law in Minnesota might make sense, but you’re running for Congress,” Craig said. “Ten states around this country are forcing survivors of rape to carry their baby and only the federal government can stop that.”

Immigration is another prominent issue in the campaign.

Craig and Teirab both agreed that more needs to be done to secure the country’s borders. 

Teirab blamed Democrats for what he called a massive migrant crisis problem, a human trafficking problem and a fentanyl problem.

“As a federal prosecutor, I put fentanyl traffickers behind bars, cartel-linked drug traffickers behind bars,” he said. “It’s sad and unacceptable that politicians like you, Congresswoman Craig, had some hand in allowing an open border that had to be cleaned up by folks in law enforcement.”

Craig said she has voted with Republicans to condemn the Biden administration’s work on the border, but underscored her belief that former President Donald Trump derailed a major bipartisan immigration bill earlier this year so he could have an issue to campaign on.

“I’ve worked on securing the southern border and even taking on my own party, speaking out in order to do it,” she said.

Craig and Teirab were in agreement that the U.S. needs to support Israel and Ukraine in military conflicts affecting both international allies, and that people who break the law should be prosecuted, including some of the people who took part in the January 6th uprising at the Capitol. 

As a federal prosecutor, Teirab helped in the case of Brian Mock, a Minnesota man who was convicted of federal assault charges related to altercations with police at the U.S. Capitol that day. He said he disagrees with Trump’s pledge to pardon Jan. 6 offenders like Mock.

“If someone kicks a police officer, steals a riot shield, they should be held accountable,” Teirab said. 

Craig chimed in, “No one’s above the law period. If someone committed a crime, particularly against a police officer, then they should be held accountable.”

Teirab also parted with Trump, his party’s presidential nominee, about the outcome of the 2020 election. 

“Joe Biden was elected as president, and I think from my view that was unfortunate because what happened was middle-class families paid the price with high inflation, with an open border,” Teirab said.

Craig said she can’t envision a scenario in which she would stand in the way of election certification, even if Trump comes out on top in November.

“I believe in the integrity of America’s elections,” she said. 

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In a policy driven debate, candidates in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District part on fiscal and abortion policy while finding common ground on response to Jan. 6 Capitol uprising.

Craig, Teirab tangle over Social Security, abortion in first head-to-head 2nd District debate

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