WDIO to host Minnesota’s 8th District Debate: Do you have a question for the candidates

The race for Minnesota’s 8^th Congressional District is set: a rematch between incumbent Pete Stauber (R) and Jen Schultz (DFL). The two will face off in a live, 40-minute debate hosted and moderated by WDIO’s Baihly Warfield and Darren Danielson on Tuesday, October 22. This debate will have a similar format as the 2022 election cycle, and begin at 6:20 p.m.

The two previously ran against each other in the 2022 midterms, with Stauber winning 57 percent of the vote to Schultz’s 42 percent.

Do you have a question you would like the candidates to answer? Fill out this form. We may use your question during the debate.

Stauber, a former professional hockey player and Duluth Police officer, is seeking his fourth term in office, having first been elected in 2018. Schultz, a Professor of Economics at UMD, served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. She represented District 7A during her time in St. Paul.

Stauber and Schultz participated in a debate on October 19, 2022 prior to the 2022 election. You can watch the 2022 debate in its entirety here.

Stauber’s campaign website lists four broad issues: federal spending, public safety & border security, American energy and Life & Liberty.

According to the website, Stauber believes in a constitutional amendment to ensure a balanced budget – blaming inflation on federal deficit spending.  For public safety, Stauber says he fights for law enforcement resources in Congress, as well as an emphasis on border security. As for American energy, Stauber supports domestic oil projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline and blames high energy prices on the Biden Administration. The website’s life & liberty section details his support for gunowner rights, as well as his opposition to using taxpayer funds for abortion.

Schultz’s campaign website reaches much further when it comes to stances, listing positions on 15 different issues, such as healthcare, education, affordable housing and infrastructure.

Her website says she believes in a single-payer healthcare system, known informally as “Medicare for all” and touts Minnesota’s low healthcare premiums.  On education, Schultz says she believes in increasing federal funding to all public schools, from Pre-K to the college level. When it comes to affordable housing, Schultz thinks that Congress must do more to help local governments with crisis. More funding for “traditional infrastructure” such as roads and bridges is also listed as a priority.

WDIO’s debate is scheduled for 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22.