With polls hinting at a 70-seat crimson tsunami next year, Democrat Angie Craig is in the fight of her political life.
The sophomore Member of Congress represents the quintessential swing seat. On paper, Minnesota's 2nd District doesn't favor either party. Donald Trump eked out a victory there over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Four years later, Joe Biden won the district by seven points.
To win this time, Craig must distance herself from the political challenges looming over Democrats. That will be a tall order when she's voted 100% of the time with Joe Biden's stated position.
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Besides being fiscally conservative, the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul don't like the radical views espoused by nearby Rep. Ilhan Omar. That fact makes Craig's decision to appear at a divisive California fundraiser all the more baffling.
Is the Masquerade Over?
Perhaps she thought her constituents wouldn't find out about her trip. Unfortunately, the Washington Free Beacon did:
According to an invitation obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Rep. Angie Craig (D., Minn.) appeared in the Golden State on Thursday for a big-ticket fundraiser with Heart of LA Democratic Club. The liberal group, which is “dedicated to actively promoting the full and equal representation of women and people who identify as women,” has repeatedly endorsed the movement to defund police.
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In June 2020, the group praised Los Angeles's Black Lives Matter chapter for its “compelling presentation to LA City Council on defunding the police,” a move it said would mark “a big step towards progress.” Months later, Heart of LA Democratic Club endorsed socialist Nithya Raman to serve on that council—Raman has openly called to defund police. The group also backed a police reform bill that, according to fellow liberal organization Indivisible, would “defund the police.” Heart of LA Democratic Club vice president Sarah Kate Levy, meanwhile, echoed calls to defund police last year, writing that while she “was a reformist” she now “see[s] clearly the need to defund.”
The Tightrope Act Continues for Democrats
Craig's willingness to fundraise with the group reflects the delicate balancing act the Democrat must undertake on policing as she looks to appease both liberal activists and centrist voters. Craig's district includes the southern suburbs of Minneapolis, a city that experienced widespread riots and a subsequent crime wave following George Floyd's death. Anti-police activists went on to spearhead a failed ballot initiative that would have dismantled the city's police department. While Craig opposed the measure, she declined to actively campaign against it amid criticism from the Democratic Party's left wing.
Neither Craig nor Heart of LA Democratic Club returned requests for comment.
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By all accounts, Tyler Kistner is Craig's most formidable opponent yet. Kistner currently serves in the Marine Reserves. Before that, he served as a Marine Raider, one of the service branches' two special operation forces.
Before joining Congress, Craig worked as a journalist and later joined the human resources and communications team at a medical device company.
