Meet Doug Chapin, candidate for U.S. House in Minnesota's 6th District | WCCO Election Guide
Doug Chapin, the DFL nominee in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, is a college professor. The district covers the north metro suburbs and exurbs.
Watch his 60-second video pitch and read how he'd tackle Minnesota's top issues, from the national debt and health care to immigration, the economy and fraud.
This is not a paid advertisement, nor does WCCO endorse any candidate. | Click here to get back to Election Guide.
The federal government is running significant annual deficits. What specific federal spending would you cut or protect, and what tax changes, if any, would you support to address the national debt?
I would repeal tax cuts for the super-wealthy, close loopholes that allow profitable corporations and billionaires to avoid paying their fair share, and eliminate the Social Security payroll tax cap so wealthy Americans contribute on all their earnings. I would also oppose unnecessary military interventions and demand that Congress reclaim its constitutional authority over when and where America goes to war. I will protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans' benefits, and other programs working Americans have earned and rely on. If Washington is serious about the national debt, it should start with those who can most afford to contribute, not seniors, families, and people struggling to afford health care.
What changes would you support to federal health care policy, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid?
Health care should be about patients and providers, not insurance company profits. I support moving toward universal coverage through Medicare for All while being open to a strong public option, only as a step toward that goal. In the meantime, I would strengthen the Affordable Care Act and restore the enhanced premium tax credits that helped families afford coverage. I would protect Medicare and reverse cuts and restrictive eligibility changes to Medicaid, including work requirements that create more paperwork and make it harder for eligible people to receive care. I would also protect federal investment in medical and scientific research. No Minnesotan should have to choose between seeing a doctor and paying the mortgage, and no senior should have to wonder whether the Medicare benefits they earned will still be there when they need them.
What immigration policies would you support at the federal level, including border security measures and any pathway to legal status for people currently in the country without authorization?
America needs an immigration system that is orderly, humane, and actually works. I support securing the border and giving federal authorities the resources to stop trafficking and other serious crimes, but enforcement must respect constitutional rights and due process. I support comprehensive immigration reform that creates clear rules and a straightforward pathway to legal status and citizenship for undocumented people who meet requirements, while making legal immigration faster and less bureaucratic for families, workers, and employers. I strongly oppose indiscriminate immigration enforcement that targets communities rather than genuine public-safety threats. Congress has avoided fixing our broken immigration system for decades, leaving presidents of both parties to govern through executive action. It is time for Congress to do its job and pass durable immigration laws that provide security, certainty, accountability, and a workable legal immigration system.
What would you do in Congress to support jobs and economic growth in Minnesota, including your position on tariffs and international trade agreements?
Minnesota succeeds when we make things, grow things, innovate, and sell our products around the world. I support investments in infrastructure, workforce development, research, clean energy, and American manufacturing that create good-paying jobs here at home. I support open markets and trade agreements that give Minnesota farmers and businesses reliable access to customers while protecting American workers from unfair trade practices. Tariffs can be a legitimate, targeted tool, but sweeping tariffs imposed unilaterally by a president raise costs for families and create uncertainty for farmers and businesses. The Constitution gives Congress responsibility for trade policy, and Congress needs to reclaim that authority. I would work across party lines to pursue stable, rules-based trade relationships that open markets for Minnesota products, strengthen domestic supply chains, and give businesses the predictability they need to invest and hire.
Minnesota has been at the center of some of the largest public-program fraud cases in the country in recent years. What would you do in Congress to strengthen oversight and prevent this kind of fraud in the future?
Anyone who steals taxpayer money should be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Congress also has a responsibility to make fraud harder to commit in the first place. I would strengthen federal auditing and inspector-general capacity, improve information-sharing between federal, state, and local agencies, and require stronger verification and monitoring when organizations receive substantial public funds. Agencies should have modern data systems capable of identifying unusual payments and warning signs before millions of dollars disappear. At the same time, preventing fraud cannot mean denying legitimate services to children, seniors, people with disabilities, or families because someone else abused a program. My career has focused on making government systems work better, including bringing government and technology partners together to modernize election administration. I would bring that same focus on accountability, data, transparency, and effective administration to congressional oversight.