A closer look at the race for Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District

East metro voters will have three candidates on the ballot when it comes to the race for Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District this November.

On the General Election ballot the candidates include: Susan Sindt Grassroots – Legalize Cannabis, Gene Rechtzigel Republican, and Betty McCollum Democratic-Farmer-Labor in the district that includes parts of Ramsey and Washington counties.

The DFL party has held the House seat since 1948, when Eugene McCarthy was elected to represent the fourth district.

It’s the longest active streak for any party in Minnesota to hold onto the same seat in Congress.

"It’s ensconced in a very democratic area you can go to other parts of the state where it’s more competitive," said University of Minnesota Public Affairs Professor Larry Jacobs.

The fourth district is one of the most liberal voting blocks in the entire state which has backed the DFL party, Jacobs said.

"I like to think of Minnesota as not purple, it’s not red or blue, it’s polka-dotted,” Jacobs said. “We’ve got some bright red polka-dots, like Tom Emmers district, we’ve got some very bright blue districts and the 4th is one of the bluest."

DFL candidate

The incumbent, Betty McCollum, a former school teacher was first elected to Congress in 2000.

At the time, McCollum became only the 2nd Minnesota woman since statehood to be elected to Congress.

This election cycle, McCollum is campaigning on nine issues including the environment, health care along with social justice and equity.

Learn more about McCollum here.

GOP candidate

Republican Gene Rechtzigel is a self-employed farmer, property manager, and self-taught legal expert according to his campaign site.

Rechtzigel has run for congress before.

In 2020, the republican’s campaign is built in part on a flat tax, changing obamacare, and border security along with other issues found on his website.

Learn more about Rechtzigel here.

Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis candidate

Susan Sindt is a former school teacher turned small business owner running again for the congressional seat.

Sindt’s top issues include campaign finance reform, ending the war on drugs, and combating global warming according to her campaign site.

Learn more about Sindt here.

KSTP’s complete Fourth District coverage