CANDIDATE PROFILES: 2022 Minnesota 1st Congressional District race
Candidates from left: Brad Finstad, Jeff Ettinger, Brian Abrahamson and Richard Reisdorf
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is tracking all of the candidates participating in the 2022 midterm elections.
Read about each Minnesota 1st Congressional District candidate via the profiles below.
CLICK HERE for KSTP’s complete elections coverage.
Brad Finstad (GOP)
Brian Finstad, who was elected to serve out the remainder of the late Rep. Jim Hagedorn’s term in Congress back in August, also operates a family farm in the New Ulm area. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agriculture Education with emphasis in Rural Leadership Development. He went on to serve three terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he represented Brown, Watonwan and Redwood counties. According to his website, he supports former President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, will defend second amendment rights, and will fight to protect unborn humans.
Jeff Ettinger (Dem)
Jeff Ettinger currently leads the Hormel Foundation, has served as CEO of Hormel Foods and hasn’t run for office until this past year’s special election for the 1st Congressional District Seat. Ettinger’s website says part of his decision to run for office was due to the events on Jan. 6, 2021. He wants to help the efforts to recruit more teachers in rural areas, make investments in transportation, lower the cost of living by using his business background and also pass laws to codify Roe v. Wade into national law.
Brian Abrahamson (GLC)
Brian Abrahamson says he is dedicated to help those who have disabilities. He says he also wants to focus on topics such as tuition-free education, tuition forgiveness, tax cuts for the middle class, infrastructure, social security, the environment, Medicare for All and legalizing cannabis. According to his website, he is pro-choice for women’s health care rights.
View Abrahamson’s website here
Richard Reisdorf (LMN)
Richard Reisdorf, whose website says he served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and serves in the Veterans for Peace as well as Disabled American Veterans, wants to “reduce human suffering and the suffering of the planet.” His website lists some of his top priorities as creating run-off voting and proportional representation, end the making of nuclear weapons and power plants, initiate universal single-payer health care, end the Gulf War, reduce pollution, and end the war on drugs.