ABOVE: Fairmont High School Principal Chad Brusky, left, shows off a drag racing truck at their technical education shop to congressional candidate Jake Johnson during his visit to Fairmont on Wednesday. Brusky said the students had worked on it and had their work checked over by National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials.

FAIRMONT – Democrat candidate for Fairmont’s Congressional district (MN-01) Jake Johnson visited several places in Fairmont on Wednesday.

He began by meeting with Police Officer and County Commissioner Jamie Bleess at the county courthouse, followed by Heaven’s Table Food Shelf Director Greta Lintelman at the food shelf, Kahler Automation Owner Wayne Kahler at his business and Lakeview Healthcare Center and Childcare Administrator Deb Barnes at her facility.

The route then made its way to Fairmont High School, where he was given a tour of the facility by Principal Chad Brusky.

An element Johnson made a note of to visit was the Career and Technical Education wing. Brusky showed a drag racing truck students had worked on and been evaluated by the National Hot Rod Association. Johnson remarked on the level of education and feedback students receive.

By that point, Johnson said it had already been a whirlwind of a day.

“We’ve heard from a lot of different folks from a lot of different backgrounds about how state policies are impacting their ability to do their work and figuring out what we can do about it,” he said. “In the end, we want to be a campaign that solves problems. It’s one thing to point fingers at the other side. It’s another thing to just sit down and say, ‘what do the people of this community need?'”

As someone who was on SNAP as a child and went to the food shelf with his family, Johnson commended the volunteer work he sees in Fairmont.

“We went to the food shelf off at Channel One in Rochester,” Johnson said. “The amount of work that’s being done in this community to support each other is incredible.”

To decide where to go, he said Char Kahler helped put together an itinerary to get a cross-section of what’s happening in Fairmont.

By visiting Fairmont, Johnson said it confirmed to him the strong sense of community people feel in and for their towns.

“I’ve been in communities all across this district,” he said. “Everywhere I go, people are very proud of their small town. They’re finding it harder and harder to stay where they live.”

Johnson said he sees the housing issue as a problem not only for the people who want to live there but also for businesses that want to attract talent.

“People who are trying to attract job creators and workers within their business,” he said. “They’re losing valuable talent because they can’t afford the housing. There’s no solution for that that we’ve seen that has met the moment. We’ve been in Lake City, Mankato, we’re here in Fairmont, hearing that same drum beat around housing, it’s a huge issue.”

Local solutions to issues were praised by Johnson, such as the 99 new kids he said now can be served by the new Building Blocks Childcare Center he visited today.

Regarding why he chose to visit Fairmont, Johnson said it reminds him of his upbringing in Stewartville.

“Growing up as a Stewartville Tiger, we all have our sense of community,” he said. “We all have our sense of civic pride and togetherness. Whether it’s through church groups, schools, or small businesses, the heartbeat of Southern Minnesota is the small towns that are throughout our district. Making sure that each small town, each place, can maintain its sense of pride.”

A point of pride he referenced from his tour is the ceiling mural at the Martin County Courthouse in Fairmont which needs repairs, and Johnson said should get the support it needs.

They wrapped up their tour by traveling to Sherburn to visit the new Martin County West school with Superintendent Cori Reynolds.