Craig elected to 3rd term in 2nd Congressional District race

In one of the closest races in the country, voters have chosen Democratic Rep. Angie Craig to serve another term in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race around 12:20 a.m. after Craig earned 51% of the votes.

Craig narrowly beat Republican opponent Tyler Kistner in 2020, and the two had their rematch in this year’s midterm elections.

Craig issued the following statement overnight regarding her campaign’s win:

“It is a great honor to represent Minnesota’s Second Congressional District in Congress. I always say, this seat does not belong to me, it belongs to the people of Minnesota’s Second Congressional District. And tonight I am grateful to have earned their support for a third term.

I am tremendously proud of the campaign we’ve built over the past year and want to express my sincere gratitude to every single person who showed up day after day to make tonight’s victory possible.

Democratic Rep. Angie Craig speaks to supporters Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at a campaign watch party in Savage. (KSTP)

It’s easy to feel that our nation has become too divided to move forward, but I am committed to working in Congress to bridge those divides, find common ground and do what’s best for Minnesota.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your dedication and persistence – together, we will keep moving Minnesota forward.”

Rep. Angie Craig (D)

Craig, a former journalist and health care company manager, was first elected to office in 2018. Craig was endorsed by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association. She supports abortion rights, family farms, expanding access to health care, strengthening Social Security and support for seniors and the need to fund schools fully.

Kistner, a former Marine, first ran for office in 2020. He supports providing more support to law enforcement, cutting spending and investing in domestic energy to fight inflation, giving school boards more control over education and offering more options to patients to lower healthcare costs. He opposes abortion but supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s health is endangered.

Kistner conceded to Craig just before 1 a.m. Wednesday, and issued the following statement:

“It’s been a pleasure to run for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District. The people I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard, and the communities I’ve gotten to know have greatly nourished my life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my party as a candidate for office.

I want to congratulate Angie Craig on winning another term. This was a hard-fought race, and we gave the people a clear choice for the future of our country.

May God Bless Minnesota, and May God Bless the United States of America.”

Challenging candidate Tyler Kistner (R)

Paula Overby of the Legal Marijuana Now Party also ran for the 2nd Congressional District, but she died unexpectedly in October at age 68.

Click here to learn more about the 2nd Congressional District race.

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