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Miller hopes to bring ‘fresh voice’ in U.S. House race

MARSHALL — Minnesotans are looking for change from their legislators, Tim Miller said. And that’s something he hopes to be able to offer as a U.S. Representative.

“I think it’s time for a fresh voice,” Miller, a current Minnesota state legislator, said of his decision to run for Congress. Legislators with character and courage are needed at both the state and national levels, he said.

Miller (R – Prinsburg), announced earlier this year that he would be running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson. Miller is one of three Republicans in Congressional District 7 who announced their campaigns this year, along with Dave Hughes of Karlstad and Matt Prosch of Lake Benton.

While on a visit to Marshall last week, Miller said the timing seemed right to bring a fresh voice to District 7. The district has become more strongly Republican in recent years, Miller said. It could be part of the reason multiple candidates are running against Peterson, he said.

Miller is a small business owner from Prinsburg, and also served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2014.

Miller said his experience as a Minnesota legislator will be helpful to him as a congressional candidate. District 17A covers a large area, stretching from Appleton to Fairfax. Miller said serving that area has helped give him a good understanding of how to get his message out, and how to work with constituents. Although the 7th Congressional District is an even larger area, Miller said, some of the same lessons apply.

“I’ve been working hard with local leaders,” Miller said, both to get his campaign message out and to learn how to meet the needs of different communities across western Minnesota.

Miller said health care and health insurance are areas of concern for him as a candidate.

“We’re in big trouble in rural Minnesota. There are a lot of people on the individual market,” facing high insurance costs and a lack of options, Miller said.

Miller said he believed the Affordable Care Act needed to be repealed, but there were also possible ways to address rural Minnesotans’ needs. For example, legislation was passed in Minnesota this year that allows agricultural cooperatives to provide health insurance for their members. Miller authored that bill.

“This is a free-market tool,” Miller said, and one with a lot of potential. “This is something that’s going to be really powerful,” Miller said.

Miller said other key issues for him were tax reform, and addressing the regulations that hurt small businesses and farmers.

“Rural Minnesota has opportunities out there,” he said — for example, in animal agriculture. But, he said, air and water quality regulations fall hard on farmers. Business growth in Minnesota is going to require affordable and reliable energy sources, so energy regulations are a concern as well, he said.

Miller said he also hoped to make a positive difference for constituents. Current politics seems to be getting dragged down in negatives instead of moving forward, he said. However, it’s possible to have a government that’s by, of, and for the people again, he said.

“I think we have an opportunity, and I want to be positive about it,” Miller said.

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