Kelly Morrison, Tad Jude vie for open 3rd Congressional District seat
The race for Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District wraps up in one week as Kelly Morrison and Tad Jude face off.
Medical background informs Morrison’s platform
Morrison, a former Democratic state senator, resigned her seat back in June to focus more on her campaign for Congress.
“We have a lot of excitement and energy on this campaign,” Morrison said.
It’s the final week of door knocking and cold calling for Morrison’s campaign. Volunteers are hoping their efforts land her Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District seat.
RELATED: Free Air Time: 3rd Congressional District candidate Kelly Morrison
“I raised my hand to run for office for the first time after [Donald] Trump’s election in 2016 because as an OB-GYN, I was so worried about what his election would mean for reproductive health care in Minnesota and across the country,” Morrison said.
Morrison is no stranger to government and policy.
In 2018, she was elected to the Minnesota House and then the Senate, flipping those seats from Republican to Democrat. Now she’s facing Jude, her Republican opponent.
“I think there are clear distinctions between my opponent and me. I led the effort to protect reproductive rights in Minnesota, and he authored legislation to criminalize women who sought abortion care,” Morrison said.
Morrison’s 20-year OB-GYN career shaped her platform.
She’s passionate about women’s rights and lowering the cost of health care, among other issues.
“My big priorities, should I have the honor to serve in Congress, are to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. The affordability challenge is really important. So figuring out how folks can afford housing and child care, shoring up our supply chains and investing in workforce,” Morrison said.
Before Dean Phillips was elected, the Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District was a Republican seat for decades.
“I think that Dean Phillips and I have a lot in common in the way that we approach leadership and legislation, but certainly, my plan is to represent everyone in the district,” Morrison said.
Jude brings decades of public service to the table
Jude is running against Morrison on the Republican ticket.
Jude has served as a state representative, senator, county commissioner and district court judge. He also served in the Army reserves.
“I’ve always been an advocate for people work with their hands. You know, people who are working men and women,” Jude said during an interview at his Maple Grove home on Tuesday.
Jude’s career in public service began in 1972 when he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives at 20 years old. At the time, he was the youngest state lawmaker ever elected.
Back then, the Minnesota Legislature was considered nonpartisan. Jude, in his early years, considered himself a Democrat.
RELATED: Free Air Time: 3rd Congressional District candidate Tad Jude
“I was born and raised a Democrat, and we actually lived 8 miles from where Hubert Humphrey lived,” Jude shared.
Former Republican State Rep. Ron Sieloff joined Jude for the interview, endorsing him in large part because of their work together, which began about 50 years ago.
“Even at that time, I mean, Tad was, I would say, conservative to independent within the DFL Party,” Sieloff said. “Back then, a lot of people saw the DFL Party as a party the working class, and it isn’t anymore.”
2024 marks Jude’s third run for Congress. He lost as a Democrat in 1992 and again after his switch to the Republican party in 1994.
“I’m persistent,” he said, asked why he’s giving another shot 30 years later. “I don’t give up easy, but I’m interested in the issues. I’m interested in making the border work. I’m interested in improving our economy, and we can do that. We can make that American dream possible again.”
Jude and opponent Morrison both tout moderation but are notably split down party lines on abortion.
“I see that as a state issue. It’s not on my agenda in Washington. What would be on my agenda would be making life affordable in Minnesota,” Jude said.
Still, Jude argued he has the edge on bipartisanship, calling it both key to his legacy and the legacy of the 3rd Congressional District.
“If somebody was going to be a leader, somebody who’s going to have some courage, they need to, at times, challenge their own party. And that’s what I’m willing to do,” he said.