Welcome to meet the candidates, the local election forum from Pioneer PBS.

This season we asked every candidate the same list of questions to learn more about what type of legislators they will be if elected.

In this episode, we will meet candidates from Minnesota House District 9B District lines have changed since the 2020 District 9B is made up of the eastern port of Otter Tail County and the western portion of Douglas County.

Major cities include Perham, New York Mills and Parkers Prairie.

To find out which district you live in, visit MNVotes dot org.

And now let's meet the candidates.

We will start with the DFL candidate, Jason Satter.

My name is Jason Satter and I grew up in Norcross, Minnesota, and I graduated from nearby Wheaton High School.

After high school, I graduated from Moorhead State University.

My wife and I are raising our three children in our wonderful rural district, and I want to improve the life of everyone in our district, not just a select few.

I believe in never asking someone to do something you're not willing to do yourself.

I have lived and worked in Senate District nine almost my entire life.

I have shoveled manure, baled hay, fished, hunted, delivered mail.

I served in the army.

I built roads, planted corn and beans.

I've kind of done it all out there.

And lately my work has been delivering ag products and selling ag products all across the Upper Midwest.

I have been a leader at every step in my life, and I've used these tools as a squad leader in the Army, as a captain for the Dragon football team.

And I've also been a local coach for the Pelican Rapids.

Athletic programs.

There I have helped build up character and strong work ethic, and many of the children.

I've been the president of Franklin Lake Association for the last four years and have helped to improve lake quality.

My blue collar roots and rural real world experience will guide my time in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and I'll fight to make the life of every person in my district better.

Why do you want to be the representative for your district?

I am running for the Minnesota House District 9B seat because for the last 20 years our rural representation has not done much to improve the lives of everyone in our district.

The sad reality is, is that we have higher local taxes, shrinking communities, rough roads, city streets and fewer jobs.

Our local representatives have not tried to solve these problems or offered solutions.

This last session, they voted against the Agriculture Bill, an education bill, a tax cut bill, and also voted against a price gouging bill.

I want to be your representative, one who makes a positive difference in his focus on rural Minnesotans.

My aim is to make our communities places where everyone can prosper and enjoy life.

What are your priorities for the next legislative session?

Minnesota's in a great position fiscally, and now is the time to improve rural Minnesota.

Public schools are the backbone of many of our communities that make up our districts, and they have been underfunded for the last 20 years.

And the end result is higher.

Local taxes through special levies and bonds.

We need to reverse this trend at the state level and it starts with elected a representative that supports our public schools.

I will support an education bill that fully funds our public schools and this will also help to get them fully staffed and the proper human resources and technologies for all students.

Minnesota has not kept up with our neighboring states that have passed recreational marijuana and a sports betting bill.

Minnesota is missing out on huge revenues that could fund public schools, infrastructure and health and human services by electing a representative that would help pass these bills.

What unique perspective do you bring to the Minnesota House?

I am not a lawyer and I will not pretend to be one.

I have lived and worked in western Minnesota almost my entire life and we need a representative that has blue collar roots who will vote for the best interests for all of us and not how their party tells them to vote.

What is your vision for the future of Minnesota?

The first step is to elect a representative that actually wants to improve Minnesota.

When your representative votes against or do not support an agriculture bill, an education bill, a tax cut bill, or even a price gouging bill, you have to ask yourself, who are they really working for?

They did not stand up and vote for the farmers, teachers, students or any blue collar worker in Minnesota.

If elected, I will work hard every day.

I am in office to make rural Minnesota a city on a hill that people will aspire to live in.

And now a closing statement.

The political stagnation that has played out for the last 20 years and especially the last session, was on full display as everyone can see, this is not working for rural Minnesota and it is time to elect someone that will not stand in the way of progress that our communities desperately need.

If you would like more info, please visit SatterforMN dot com and I hope to earn your vote in November.

You can find out more about Jason Satter at his website SATTER for MN dot com next.

Unfortunately, we were unable to schedule a recording with the Republican candidate, Tom Murphy.

However, you can find more information online about Tom Murphy at his site.

Tom Murphy MN dot com.

Learn more about voting, how to register and what district you live in by visiting the Minnesota Secretary of State website at MN votes dot org.

Remember, Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th.

Thank you for watching.

Meet the Candidates on Pioneer PBS.