Craig and Teirab argue during the MPR debate

Rep. Angie Craig touted her record as an incumbent while Republican challenger Joe Teirab sought to link the congresswoman to what he called the Biden administration's failed policies on inflation and immigration in a high-stakes debate Friday .

Stressing her bipartisanship, Craig frequently responded to questions from Minnesota Public Radio host Brian Bakst by saying, “I have a bill…” Swingy 2 representatives^nd Congressional district since 2019.

Teirab, meanwhile, used the debate to introduce himself to voters, often reminding them that he was simply “a middle-class guy” – despite having a degree from Harvard Law School – and about his upbringing in Minnesota, his Sudan-born father and … talked about his career in the Marine Corps and as a federal prosecutor.

One of his swipes at Craig came during a discussion about abortion when Teirab was calling for the overturn of Roe v. Wade was defended by the U.S. Supreme Court because it allowed states to decide their own abortion policies, leading to new restrictions in about half of the states. Some of them ban all abortions – even in cases of rape or incest.

Teirab said Minnesotans should be able to decide their own abortion laws, telling Craig, “If you want to go back to your home state of Arkansas, you can do that” if she wants to change more restrictive laws in other states. Craig grew up in a trailer park in Arkansas and became an executive at a Fortune 500 company before being elected to Congress.

One of Craig's best digs at Teirab came near the end of the debate when she reminded him that “you still don't have the approval of 2.”^nd District Republicans.” Those Republicans supported Teirab’s main challenger, Tayler Rahm, who took a job with the Trump campaign in Minnesota and dropped out of the race.

Craig also repeatedly attacked Teirab as an “anti-abortion activist” who has advocated for a federal abortion ban in the past and sits on the board of a crisis pregnancy center that advises women against abortions.

Teirab said that while his mother was carrying him, she considered having an abortion and contacted Planned Parenthood, but changed her mind after visiting a crisis pregnancy center.

“I'm glad your mother made the right decision for her,” Craig said, adding that other women should have the same right.

Craig also criticized Teirab, 37, over his comments on Social Security during a conversation with voters at a local “Pints ​​and Politics” event, where he said “retirement age should maybe change for me, or I should.” “have more options.” it has been privatized.”

At the debate, Teirab said that these were spontaneous comments and that he would never cut benefits or raise the retirement age for today's seniors, which include his parents.

Craig again said she has a bill that would address projected shortfalls in the Social Security trust fund. The legislation would raise the annual salary cap to $168,000, which is currently the point at which workers no longer pay Social Security taxes.

Throw gas on the fire

The debate began with a question about the economy and inflation.

Craig responded that she had introduced a bill that would address what she said was a major cause of inflation – corporate price gouging – and that she had introduced another bill to raise the price of insulin to $35 -Dollar to decrease.

Teirab blamed inflation on “reckless government spending” and big-ticket legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden initiated and Craig supported.

“They threw gas on the fire,” he said.

Most economists say increased government spending during the COVID pandemic — which began with former President Donald Trump's efforts to help Americans who were losing jobs at a record pace and companies that were on the brink of bankruptcy — is a key cause for inflation as well as supply chain disruptions that drove up the prices of many essential goods.

While Teirab tried to link Craig to Biden policies, Craig emphasized their independence from the government, particularly on issues such as immigration and policing. “This is an area where I think the Biden administration made a mistake,” she said of immigration.

Still, Teirab slammed Craig for failing to support a highly partisan GOP House immigration bill that had no chance of becoming law. Meanwhile, Craig said she supported a bipartisan Senate immigration bill that Trump doomed because he believed it would help Democrats' electoral chances.

While Teirab dodged the question of whether he would try to repeal the Affordable Care Act like Trump, he distanced himself from the former president. He also broke with Trump on the question of who won the 2020 election.

“It was fair and clear,” he said of the election. “Joe Biden has been elected president.”

Additionally, Teirab successfully prosecuted a rioter who attacked U.S. Capitol Police during the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and said he did not think the pardons Trump promised the rioters were “appropriate.” .

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