Meet John Nagel, candidate for U.S. House in Minnesota's 5th District | WCCO Election Guide
John Nagel, the Republican nominee in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, is a former state trooper. The district is based in Minneapolis.
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.
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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 protect Medicare and Medicaid for the people who depend on them and maintain a strong national defense, while cutting waste, overhead, and inefficient procurement that do not improve military readiness. Congress also needs to review federal programs regularly, eliminate duplication, recover improper payments, and require greater transparency for emergency spending. I do not support a broad tax increase as the first response to the debt. Before asking Americans to pay more, Congress should account for what it already spends and prove it has reduced waste. Any tax reform should be simpler, support work and investment, and avoid making the debt problem worse. There is no single fix; reducing deficits will require sustained spending discipline, honest budgeting, and stronger economic growth.
What changes would you support to federal health care policy, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid?
The Affordable Care Act needs significant reform, but the focus should be on what produces better care and lower costs for patients. I would focus on fixing what is not working in our health-care system rather than defending the status quo. We should protect Medicare for seniors, preserve Medicaid for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable patients, and maintain protections for people with pre-existing conditions. At the same time, families need more affordable choices, including individual and catastrophic plans, greater price transparency and more control over their health-care dollars. For able-bodied working-age adults in Medicaid, I support reasonable work, education or training requirements with appropriate exemptions and accurate eligibility checks. We also need stronger fraud controls so health-care dollars reach patients instead of dishonest providers. My goal is lower costs, more choice and better care—not simply moving people from one government program to another.
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?
The federal government should secure the border, enforce immigration law, and make the legal immigration system work faster. I support additional border technology and barriers where appropriate, stronger ports of entry, faster asylum decisions, mandatory E-Verify with meaningful penalties for employers who knowingly violate the law, and enforcement of the Laken Riley Act. U.S. citizens and legal immigrants waiting to reunite with spouses should not be trapped in unnecessary bureaucracy. I would also support a narrow legal-status process for some long-term unauthorized residents who pass background checks, pay taxes and a fine, remain employed or in school, and have no serious criminal record. That would not mean automatic citizenship. Border security, accountability, and respect for people who follow the legal immigration process should come first.
What would you do in Congress to support jobs and economic growth in Minnesota, including your position on tariffs and international trade agreements?
Minnesota needs predictable trade relationships, competitive taxes, affordable energy, and workers with the skills employers need. Canada is Minnesota's largest goods export market, so I want a stable relationship that protects Minnesota farmers, manufacturers, medical-technology companies, and other exporters. I generally support reciprocal tariffs when they are used to address unfair treatment of American products, but they should be applied with attention to their effects on Minnesota businesses and consumers. I also support strong enforcement against China for intellectual-property theft and other unfair trade practices. In Congress, I would support tax relief for small manufacturers, domestic energy and critical-mineral development, faster permitting, and stronger career and technical education. Trade policy should expand opportunity for American workers and producers while keeping important markets open to Minnesota goods.
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?
Congress should strengthen fraud controls before taxpayer dollars go out the door, not only after the money is gone. I would support stronger provider verification, audits, data sharing across agencies, real-time risk analysis, and the ability to pause suspicious payments while a claim is reviewed. High-risk programs should have clear reporting requirements, regular inspector-general oversight, and consequences when repeated warnings are ignored. Emergency programs should include safeguards from the start rather than adding them after fraud appears. Minnesota's Feeding Our Future case involved over $250 million in fraud against a federally funded child-nutrition program, showing how costly weak controls can become. Honest providers and the people who depend on these programs should not lose resources because criminals exploit poor oversight. The basic standard should be: verify first, pay accurately, investigate warning signs, recover stolen funds, and prosecute those abusing the system.