ABOVE: Current Lieutenant Governor and US Senate Candidate Peggy Flanagan, center, speaks to attendees at her campaign stop at Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont on Sunday morning.

FAIRMONT – In one of several campaign stops over the weekend, including Marshall and Mankato, current Lieutenant Governor and US Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan visited Fairmont on Sunday morning.

In Fairmont and across southern Minnesota, Flanagan said she can see affordability is a key issue people are struggling with.

“The number one thing is that people want to be able to afford the lives they want to live,” she said. “Lowering the cost of health care and making sure that people can access the care that they need. Increasing wages for folks across the state of Minnesota, making sure we have access to affordable housing for people, universal child care and making sure farmers can repair their own equipment. These are things that I’m hearing from Minnesotans, and that’s no secret.”

In her speech to attendees, Flanagan started by discussing the last few weeks of issues and concerns regarding ICE’s presence in Minnesota.

“I think it’s really important we continue to tell the truth and let folks know outside of Minnesota what is happening here,” she said. “Having a paramilitary force in our streets does not make anybody safer. We can have big conversations about how we address the immigration issue in our country, we can have comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship and secure borders, because we need policies grounded in community, dignity and safety.”

On the topic of health care, Flanagan said it is the number one thing she hears about when talking to Minnesotans and is something her family experiences firsthand.

“It’s folks who have been told that they have to do seven different kinds of treatments before their health insurance will pay for the actual treatment their doctor thinks will work for them,” she said. “I’m a mom of a kid with asthma. Every year, we have an epic throwdown with her insurance to make sure she can get treatment her doctors prescribe. She has a pulmonologist who makes calls and writes letters. I’m willing to sit on the phone, but not everybody has the ability to do that.”

To make progress on this, Flanagan said she is pushing for the removal of prior authorization and implementation of Medicare for All.

On the subject of healthcare, attendee Peter Engstrom asked Flanagan how the power and influence of pharmacy, healthcare and insurance companies can be countered.

“I have hope,” she said. “I am someone who was like, ‘Medicare For All is a bridge too far.’ I got there because of people, right? I got there because of people. Right now, there is a PAC that is being funded in support of my primary opponent. The folks who are paying for that PAC are Big Pharma and Big Oil. That tells me I’m not the candidate of Big Oil and I’m not the candidate of Big Pharma.”

Flanagan said she is also looking to make progress on issues nationally that she has had success with in Minnesota, such as the minimum wage and paid family leave.

“They haven’t increased the minimum wage in over 16 years,” Flanagan said. “It’s still $7.25, and we can bring a little bit more Minnesota to Washington, DC. [Paid family leave] is one of the things we knew Minnesotans cared a lot about when we did polling on it. It was both sides of the aisle that know you shouldn’t have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a sick loved one, bonding with a new child or fleeing a domestic violence situation. Now that’s in effect, tens of thousands of people have signed up for it, and we’re going to be better for it.”

To cap off her speech, Flanagan drove home a few more issues she wants to focus on moving forward, but didn’t have time to discuss thoroughly at this campaign stop.

“Farmers should have the right to repair their own equipment,” she said. “I think Congress should follow through on the commitment they made to fully fund [the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] and special education. I think we should build more housing. We should prevent Wall Street from coming in and buying up entire neighborhoods and pricing, preventing people from being able to purchase a home.”

Speaking on her visit to Fairmont, Flanagan said it is clear to see that people are engaged, and it is important to visit communities across Minnesota.

“I do my best work when I hear directly from people,” she said. “My daughter always says, ‘My mom’s job is to go on field trips and help people.’ Pretty good description of the work I try to do. Hearing directly from folks was powerful this morning.”