This article is the fifth in a series called “Swing-District Spotlight” in which Alpha News examines competitive state legislative seats across Minnesota.
Incumbent Democratic State Rep. Jeff Brand, DFL-St. Peter, is locked in a battle with Republican Erica Schwartz to determine who will represent the residents of District 18A in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Located in southern Minnesota, District 18A includes all of Nicollet County as well as portions of Le Sueur and Blue Earth counties. Major cities in the district include North Mankato, St. Peter, and Nicollet. District 18A also includes a portion of Mankato. The boundaries of the district have been essentially unchanged since 2012.
Brand first won the district in 2018; a part of a DFL wave election which won a majority in the Minnesota House for the first time in six years. That year, the DFLer won his election by roughly 9 points. However, Brand lost his bid for reelection two years later in a very close race; Republican Susie Ackland beat Brand by just 108 votes (50.15% to 49.68%).
In 2022, Ackland and Brand had another close contest which saw Brand win by just over two points.
As such, District 18A could be one of the closest legislative races this year. A change in just four seats could give Republicans control of the Minnesota House. Should that happen, the GOP would break up the Democratic trifecta that has controlled state government since January of 2023.
Alpha News reached out to both Brand and Schwartz to ask the pair about a variety of topics. Schwartz responded to Alpha News’ media inquiry, Brand did not.
Brand’s record
During his time in office, Rep. Brand supported many left-wing pieces of legislation. Among them were two bills, which eventually became law, that gave state services to illegal immigrants. The first, HF 4, allowed illegal immigrants to obtain Minnesota driver’s licenses. The second was an omnibus bill that, among other things, gave illegal immigrants access to a state-run health insurance program called MinnesotaCare.
Rep. Brand also voted in favor of the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. This bill, which also became law, legalized abortion in Minnesota through all nine months of pregnancy.
Additionally, Brand signed on as a co-author of HF 1930, a bill to legalize assisted suicide in Minnesota. The St. Peter legislator also voted in favor of a gun control bill which would require Minnesotans to adhere to new firearms storage standards or face potential criminal penalties.
While neither of the last two bills became law this year, they will certainly be Democratic priorities when the Minnesota Legislature goes back into session in January of 2025.
Alpha News asked Brand why he supported the five aforementioned bills. However, the state legislator did not respond. Furthermore, Alpha News asked Brand questions about his future goals and policy areas of focus, why he believes he should represent the district, and his plan to win what could be a close election. Brand did not respond to those questions either.
‘A voice of reason’
Meanwhile, Republican candidate Erica Schwartz told Alpha News she sees “families struggling to buy just the bare essentials.” As such, the small business owner wants to cut taxes, lower the burden of government, and cut spending to ensure Minnesota is a “fiscally responsible state that does not see a structural deficit, which is what is currently projected.”
Furthermore, the GOP candidate called out Rep. Brand in very strong terms.
“Jeff Brand had the chance to be a voice of reason,” Schwartz said. “He could’ve spoken out against spending through the $18 billion surplus. He could’ve spoken out against raising taxes by $9 billion at a time when overall prices have gone up 20% from four years ago. He could’ve stood up and called for Nicole Mitchell’s resignation from the Senate when she became a charged FELON. However, he didn’t.”
Should the GOP win a majority in the Minnesota House, Schwartz said she wants House Republicans to eliminate the state tax on Social Security benefits, fund and support nursing homes, and conduct a “widescale audit” of executive agencies to make sure fraud, such as the $250 million Feeding Our Future scheme, does not occur again.
Schwartz told Alpha News that campaigning door-to-door has been a top priority in her efforts to win District 18A. She said the experience has given her the chance to “hear concerns directly from Minnesotans.” In turn, the GOP candidate said listening and responding to the needs of voters is “the key to victory in any election, especially this one.”
When asked about her goals and policy areas of focus should she become a state legislator, the GOP candidate said: “Tax relief. Tax relief. Tax relief. Did I mention tax relief?”
Schwartz also denounced the actions of Democrats in St. Paul, saying, “If you worked at a major corporation and went to the board of directors with an $18 billion surplus and then proceeded to ask for an additional $9 billion for your department, you’d likely be fired on the spot.”
“It’s time for Minnesotans to be that board of directors and fire their Democrat Representatives,” added Schwartz.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
