The Case Against

The Case Against Pete Stauber

“A fourth-generation Cuyuna Iron Ranger, Joe Radinovich has the track record, the experience, and deep roots in his community to stand up for Minnesota’s working families,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “In Congress, Joe will stand up to the Republican agenda that gives tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy and puts Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block. After this hard-fought primary win, Joe emerges in an extremely strong position to keep this seat in DFL hands in November.”

To: Interested Parties

From: Rachel Irwin, DCCC Regional Press Secretary

Date: August 14, 2018

RE: The Case Against Pete Stauber

The primary results in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District set up a clear contrast between former State Rep. Joe Radinovich and the D.C. Republican hand-picked candidate Pete Stauber.

While Stauber does whatever his D.C. Party bosses tell him to, Radinovich is an independent voice who will put party aside to do what’s right for hardworking Minnesotans.

Radinovich comes from a family of miners, electricians and healthcare workers, and is running to be a voice for working families like his own. While serving in the State Legislature, he’s been a champion of working people, fighting to expand rural broadband and revitalizing local downtowns. And in Congress, he’ll stand up to special interests and make lowering healthcare costs and protecting Social Security and Medicare a priority.

Radinovich strikes the same populist tone that has carried Nolan to victory in multiple tough elections in a row, and is earning the trust of blue-collar Minnesotans across the district.

Stauber may claim that he’s on the side of working people, but at every turn, he’s sided with Washington Republicans and their agenda of choosing the wealthy few over every day Minnesotans. A vote for Pete Stauber is a vote for blind party loyalty that gives tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, puts Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block, and guts protections for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma, cancer and diabetes.

And given Stauber’s record of raising taxes as St. Louis County Commissioner while taking pay increases, the people of northeastern Minnesota clearly can’t trust or afford Pete Stauber in Congress.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

The Timberjay Headline: DFL Candidates Show They’re Ready To Be Bold” [The Timberjay, 7/18/18]

MinnPost Headline: “Trump Is All In On Pete Stauber. Will The 8th District Follow Suit?” [MinnPost, 6/27/18]

Duluth News Tribune Editorial Headline: “Our View/Endorsement: Radinovich emerges even stronger” [Duluth News Tribune (Editorial), 7/31/18]

International Falls Journal Headline: “Radinovich: Knows The People, Issues Of The District” [International Falls Journal, 6/1/18]

City Pages Headline: “ … Would-Be Congressman Pete Stauber Won’t Talk About Cheating … ” [City Pages, 3/13/18]

Stauber is a Rubber Stamp for a Harmful GOP Agenda that Betrays Working Families

 

Stauber Embraces GOP Tax Scam that Betrays Middle Class Families

National Republicans call Pete Stauber their top recruit and swooped in to raise money for him, so it’s no surprise that he’s all in on the GOP agenda. He’s already on the hook supporting the Republican tax bill that provides a major tax break for the wealthy and corporations while raising taxes on the middle class over time. The bill gives more than 80% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans and a huge handout to large corporations. The bill even incentivizes corporations to ship jobs overseas. And because of how the tax scam blew up the deficit, it gives Stauber and Republicans an opening to revisit their favorite topic: cutting Social Security and Medicare.

The Tax Scam Stauber supports also gave health insurance and drug companies billions in tax breaks even though insurance companies are expected to raise healthcare premiums by fifteen percent, and drug companies continue to jack up prices, meaning taxpayers are paying more than ever for healthcare.

Healthcare Top of Mind for Voters

Minnesotans have rallied as Washington Republicans voted to raise their healthcare costs, slap an age tax on older Americans, gut pre-existing condition protections and jeopardize health insurance for 32,300 in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. The political liability of Washington Republicans’ agenda will cast a dark shadow on Stauber’s candidacy thanks to Republicans’ repeated attacks on healthcare.

While Radinovich has been a fierce advocate for lowering costs and increasing access to care, Stauber is already on the record on supporting efforts to raise healthcare costs, which will be top of mind for voters this fall. Voters trust Democrats to lower healthcare costs and prescription drug costs, and  it’s clear that Stauber won’t lift a finger when his own Party continues their attacks on dismantling protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

Stauber’s Record as St. Louis County Commissioner Will Haunt Him

Stauber’s record as St. Louis County Commissioner reveals that Stauber has a track record of putting his own political interests ahead of working families. He has a long record of raising taxes on hardworking Minnesotans while serving in the St. Louis County Board. Despite a campaign promise to lower taxes, Stauber has repeatedly voted to raise taxes. Since Stauber joined the commission, the property tax levy has risen by more than twenty million dollars, or an eighteen percent increase. Stauber even voted to raise the sales tax, increasing the prices of household essentials in the county.

And while thousands of Minnesota families struggle to afford sky-high healthcare costs, Stauber voted to increase county health insurance premiums while accepting yearly increases to his own taxpayer-funded salary.

THE PATH TO VICTORY

Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District has been a white whale for Republicans for years, but this blue-collar district has a proven track record of electing strong DFL members. President Obama won this district twice and Gov. Dayton, Senator Franken, and Senator Klobuchar have all won here by at least 7.6 percentage points or more, including in tough years like 2014 and 2010. This rural district has the DFL stronghold of Duluth, the Iron Range and Twin Cities exurbs where DFLers like Rep. Rick Nolan have carved out a strong populist brand to win this district cycle after cycle.

While this district swung to President Trump in 2016, the ongoing GOP attacks on the middle class have taken a toll on his approval ratings statewide. Recent polling also shows Trump underwater statewide with Democrats leading by 12 points on the generic ballot. As the D.C. hand-picked candidate, Stauber’s blind loyalty to his party is a liability given that the Washington Republican agenda has betrayed Minnesota’s working families. With President Trump, Vice President Pence, and party leaders swooping in to prop up his campaign, it’s clear Stauber’s hands are tied when it comes to stand up to his party bosses.

Like Nolan, Radinovich has a strong populist message of standing up to special interests, fighting for access to affordable healthcare and fighting for working families that will resonate with blue-collar voters. Radinovich emerges from the crowded primary stronger than ever and is a trusted voice on protecting Social Security and Medicare and doing what’s right for the people of northeastern Minnesota.

When it comes down to who voters can trust, Joe Radinovich has a proven track record of fighting for working families like his own, while Pete Stauber is a puppet of his party bosses with a record of putting his own political future ahead of the people of northeastern Minnesota.

 





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