U.S. Congressional District 8 Representative
Ray 'Skip' Sandman
Age: 64.
City: Duluth.
Employment: Retired corrections officer, native traditional healer, Vietnam veteran.
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Public office experience: I am not a career politician.
What do you want to accomplish if elected? A cleaner environment, combat climate change with green energy jobs. Single payer health care for every American. Protect Social Security, veterans benefits, safety net programs and increase the federal minimum wage. Offer a minimum of two years of free college tuition or technical school to students.
Specifically, how would you accomplish your goals? The proposed copper-sulfide mines pose a grave danger to our drinking water, and over time, will destroy more Minnesota jobs than they create. I will not be greasing the wheels in Congress for them to come to Minnesota. Mandate green energy usage and disincentivize fossil fuel use to overcome climate change. Once we eliminate the health insurance industry, the profits they took from our premiums will help pay for single payer. Begin nationwide negotiating on drug prices and medical devices. Redirect some military spending to help pay for college/tech school.
What abilities or qualifications separate you from your competition? Why are you the best candidate for the job? I am running as an Independent, my campaign is run entirely by volunteers. We have very few large donations and I am only beholden by the promise to everyone that I will fight to protect the people and the planet. My opponents have large war chests and dark money following them. They split the vote in favor of copper-sulfide mining and leave me with the votes for clean water. In a three-way race, I can win with 35-40 percent of the vote.
