REGIONAL— As he travels around the vast Senate district he hopes to represent following November’s election, Grant Hauschild said he’s hearing common themes, particularly in communities that rely on tourism.
Hauschild, who currently serves on the Hermantown City Council, was in Tower, Cook, and Grand Marais this week, all communities that are included in the Third Senate District long represented by Sen. Tom Bakk. Bakk announced his retirement at the end of his current term and Hauschild is hoping to succeed him.
While the district has long been a DFL stronghold, Hauschild knows that the region has undergone a sea change over the past several years and he’s running fast and hard— like the underdog he just might be.
“Overall, I’m hearing pretty similar themes,” said Hauschild, who spoke to the Timberjay about his recent visit to the region. “People are certainly talking a lot about workforce issues,” said Hauschild. From the North Shore to northern St. Louis County, Hauschild said there’s concern about the lack of available workers and a recognition that the extreme scarcity of housing is contributing to the problem. He said potential workers interested in moving to area communities for a variety of job opportunities are finding it nearly impossible to obtain housing, particularly rental housing. Houses that do become available are often snapped up immediately, either by new owners or investors who hope to convert the homes to short-term rentals through online rentals.
Hauschild, who worked in rural economic development with the USDA under the Obama administration, said he’s well aware of the issue and how the lack of capital in rural areas is contributing to the problem. “This is really an area where the government can partner with local organizations to provide low-cost housing options,” he said.
At the same time, Hauschild said he recognizes that many rural and small-town residents often feel that funding approved for improvements or expansion of housing or broadband connectivity, doesn’t make it to their town. “People say they don’t trust that it will trickle down to their community,” said Hauschild. He agreed and said that’s why, if elected, he’ll seek appointment to the Senate’s Capital Investment Committee, where he can help steer direct spending to the region, rather than simply filling agency coffers only to see the overwhelming majority of funds remain in the Twin Cities metro area.
“I hear the concern. My number one focus will be bringing money directly to the Northland,” he said. “And I’m the one candidate who has the well-rounded policy background to actually get that money to the Northland.”
While a relatively new resident of the district, having moved to the Hermantown area from North Dakota in 2018, Hauschild brings with him more than a decade of political experience, beginning in his college days at the University of North Dakota, where he served as student body vice president while earning a political science degree. He went on to work first as an aide, and later as political director, to North Dakota U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.
While living in Washington, D.C., he earned a master’s degree in public policy from George Washington University in addition to his work at the Department of Agriculture. Since moving to Hermantown, he has served as executive director of the Essentia Health Foundation, which provides a wide range of funding to Essentia facilities all across the region.
During his visit to Tower on Sunday, Hauschild met with a couple dozen area residents. While housing and workforce shortages were discussed, he said others raised concerns about the lack of mental health services and the struggles that many young people have faced during the COVID pandemic. “It seems like young people are really struggling with mental health right now,” said Hauschild. “We’re seeing issues with lack of services, and there’s concern about the growing gaps in EMS funding as well. There are lot of issues with folks living in rural areas, who are unsure if they’ll get the help they need when they need it.”
While Hauschild also visited Cook on Sunday to take part in the Timber Days parade, he said it didn’t provide the opportunity for the kind of in-depth discussions that he’s been able to have elsewhere. But he said he plans to be back in the area soon to talk more with voters.
While Hauschild acknowledges the Third District is far from a shoo-in for a DFLer these days, he has substantial experience in politics and said his campaign is well-organized, well-funded, and enthusiastic. “I have no doubt that I have visited more communities, talked to more people than the other two candidates combined,” he said.
While Hauschild isn’t facing opposition for the DFL nomination for the job, the Republican nominee will be decided in the Aug. 9 primary. Current Babbitt Mayor Andrea Zupancich and former Iron Mining Association president Kelsey Johnson are facing off in that contest.
Hauschild said his North Dakota roots have left him in the moderate wing of the DFL, focused primarily on the farmer and labor side of the party. “As a moderate, I would have the ability to make deals with Republicans, not shout at them,” he said. His time on the Hermantown City Council has also left him with the recognition that the best decisions are often made at the local level, where elected officials generally focus on problem-solving, rather than partisan game-playing. And that’s what Hauschild said he hopes to provide to the region, if elected. “I sure think that if we’re looking for someone who can take a no-nonsense approach and really deliver for the area.”