Minnesotans will vote in the 2024 primary election on August 13. To help our viewers make informed decisions WDIO news is doing candidate interviews so you can hear directly from those wanting to represent you in St. Paul.

Minnesota Rep. Dave Lislegard will not be running for a fourth term serving Congressional District 7B on the Iron Range. There is only one Democrat candidate currently running, Lorrie Janatopoulos, and she’s running unopposed.

Meanwhile, there are two Republican candidates on the ballot for the Minnesota 2024 Primary Election. Cal Warwas and Matt Matasich, are running against each other, and both are asking support from voters.

When asked about how he stands out as a candidate, Matasich says voters connect with him through his local roots and history of the Iron Range.

“I’m a lifelong resident of the Iron Range, born and raised on the north side of Virginia on 14th Street. Believe it or not, Tom Rukavina used to live on 14th Street. It’s the street that produced many mayors and many politicians here in the Virginia Quad City area and on the Iron Range,” Matasich said. “I’ll bring knowledge and ideas to the state legislature plus all that history. So I know what I’m talking about.”

As for what makes Warwas a unique candidate, he says he’s a third generation steelworker and been mining for 28 years. Warwas says from working on the Iron Range, he knows how important the mining industry is to voters in the Northland.

“I’m a pro-life, pro-gun, pro-family guy, I’m endorsed by the NRA, and I’m endorsed by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association,” Warwas said. “I’m a pro-mining activist. I’ll do things to forward the mining industry. My life, my vibe, what I want to forward is what’s best for the Iron Range and opportunity for Rangers.”

During the interview, we asked both candidates what their main priority would be if elected. Warwas says his focus is on an balanced-energy campaign.

“The carbon free by 2040 bill that was passed in the 2023 legislature. Ramps up, the cost of electric power. So we need a broader energy policy, something that’s more balanced. On the iron range, we use about 30% of all electric power sold in the state of Minnesota,” Warwas explained. “So I think that it’s gonna prove difficult for mining operations to be successful if the cost of electric power doubles.”

However, Matasich says his he wants to have the Taconite taxes reviewed, and redistribute the revenue.

“But the state of Minnesota comes in, grabs those Taconite production taxes, and disperses it all over the place. Especially over the seven northern counties,” Matasich said. “Yet, we don’t share in those production taxes that are collected in lieu of local real estate tax. So we gotta fight to get our money back.”

However, when it came to what voters were most concerned about, both Warwas and Matasich agreed that folks on the Iron Range were upset about property taxes.

“They’re passionate about getting the tax dollars to stay on the iron range. Because real estate taxes are just going through the roof and we gotta do something about it,” Matasich said. “We gotta keep our tax dollars, which are collected in lieu of local real estate taxes staying on the range.”

“They’re extremely angry about property taxes and the way they continue to hike up year on year,” Warwas said. “That is something that needs to be fixed legislatively.”

Cal Warwas and Matt Matasich face off in the 2024 primary election Tuesday, August 13th. Also for more information on voting and other local races is available from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.