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 is the Republican taking on longtime DFL U.S. Rep. 

 in November. The 7th District is a large and largely rural district in western and northwestern Minnesota.

Translations of this guide

Posición de los candidatos del 7.o Distrito sobre los temas relevantes

Cov neeg los sib tw lub rooj nom Cheeb Tsam Thib 7 cov kev xam pom rau tej teeb meem

Halka ay arrimaha jira ka taagan yihiin murashixiinta xaafadda degmada toddobaad ama 7th District

Here’s a quick look at where they stand on top issues for Minnesotans.

View more candidates and their answers via our voter guide made in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota.

 who voted against impeaching President Trump in December, and is the only Democrat who stayed with the party after the vote. Ahead of the vote, 

 the president “has not committed a crime” to be impeached for. As for the trade policies and the U.S.’ response to the pandemic, Peterson 

criticized Trump’s trade war with China

 and the federal government’s lack of timely action to warn the public about the need to take precautions.

 The former state senator and former lieutenant governor

 has touted her support for President Trump.

 Fischbach called the House impeachment inquiry last year a “partisan impeachment sham.” She praised the president’s response to COVID-19 and avoided blaming Trump for his trade policies, while acknowledging that levies on exports have been detrimental in the agriculture-heavy district.

supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

 in June to ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants. He also

 a community-based public safety program. 

defunding, abolishing or dismantling police departments, 

 “disbanding police is a very dangerous idea.” She is 

 by the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police. 

Candidates find common ground

: Peterson is against statewide COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Walz. He says 

regionally based on the rate of infections. Peterson, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, supports expanding COVID-19 tests and contact tracing for front-line health care workers, first responders, and food and agricultural workers.

: Fischbach does not support Gov. Tim Walz’s emergency power and executive orders aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus. She says it’s time to end what she describes as “one-man rule” through executive action.

: Peterson is the lone Democrat in Congress who has the NRA’s A rating and is endorsed by the NRA. He 

 of the Second Amendment. She holds an A rating with the National Rifle Association.

: Peterson voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and opposes repealing the law. He favors revising it instead, 

unless there is a better option to replace it

 expand eligibility for health savings accounts

 allow the accounts to be used for over-the-counter medications

 offer Americans access to high-quality, affordable health care plans by patient-centered health care reforms. Her efforts focus on increasing competition and lowering costs without sacrificing protections for those with preexisting conditions. She disapproves of the Affordable Care Act.

: Peterson has highlighted the need for affordable and reliable broadband internet service that is essential for education and businesses in the area. He also touts his efforts to secure more funding for Pell Grants and other high school funding. 

served as the chairwoman of the Senate Higher Education Committee

 during the 2017 state legislative session. Education, especially higher ed, remains as one of her priorities, and

 strengthening two-year and higher ed programs that can contribute to a strong workforce in rural Minnesota. 

: Peterson said in March 2019 that he supports border security but does not support the southern border wall. In 2017, he 

a bill to penalize states and local governments with sanctuary laws on immigration. In May, Peterson 

broke ranks with Democrats and supported a bill 

that would have prevented undocumented immigrants from receiving $1,200 in the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus package.

: Fischbach supports Trump’s desire to build the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. She

abolishing Immigrants and Customs Enforcement and opening up borders. She

 the idea of having sanctuary cities.  

: Peterson has long been against abortions and 

during his terms. In 2017, he voted for a bill to ban abortions after 20-week pregnancy and for another bill to ban using taxpayer money on abortions. 

 at all stages, opposing abortions. She also has spoken against efforts to promote taxpayer-funded abortions for undocumented immigrants. Her husband, Scott Fischbach, is an executive director at anti-abortion nonprofit Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. 

: Peterson, who was a small business owner in Detroit Lakes before his time in Congress, 

aiding small businesses and protecting the leisure industry in the district. 

 rebuild infrastructure in rural Minnesota and to secure trade deals for farmers in the area. She also supports investing in workforce development programs.

. In 2018, he said lawmakers have “a lot of other issues that gotta get dealt with” before climate change and that the U.S.’ agriculture industry was already doing its part to reduce the environmental footprint. 

: Fischbach does not appear to have a public stance on climate change.

cutting back on military spending and making changes to Medicare as measures to overhaul the country’s budget course. Peterson voted along the party line against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. 

 supports tax cuts for middle-class people

criticizes excessive taxes and regulations.

 She also approves of Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. 

: Although he did not publicly discuss the issue in his latest term, he had said ahead of the 2018 election that he wanted to see how the legalization of recreational marijuana 

 before considering support for it nationally and that he supported the 

 she voted against allowing medical use of marijuana in Minnesota. 

MPR News Staff

Author

Here’s what you need to know about where candidates running for Congress in Minnesota’s 7th District stand on the top issues.

Voter guide: Where the 7th District candidates stand on the issues

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