Meet Michelle Fischbach, candidate for U.S. House in Minnesota's 7th District | WCCO Election Guide

Rep. Michelle Fischbach, the Republican incumbent in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, has represented western Minnesota since 2021 and is a former lieutenant governor.

We have yet to receive a 60-second video pitch from Michelle Fischbach, but you can read how she'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?

The federal government must stop spending money it doesn't have. Republicans took the first step last year to bend the curve on federal spending so we can get closer to living within our means. We also took action to root out fraud, waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Our pro-growth policies of U.S. energy independence, targeted tax cuts and reduced regulation have unleashed our economy. In addition, we must balance the federal budget and prevent critical trust funds from becoming insolvent.

What changes would you support to federal health care policy, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid?

We should not turn over 1/6 of our economy to the federal government, put healthcare decision making into the hands of bureaucrats, and raise everyone's taxes to pay for it. Independent studies show that Medicaid for All would close rural hospitals and result in fewer physicians in rural areas, making healthcare access worse for western Minnesota. Any federal healthcare policy reform should always put the patient's needs first, and that includes protecting coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Some ideas for reform are to increase price transparency, expand Health Savings Accounts and portability, and remove barriers on innovative healthcare solutions such as telemedicine and direct primary care.

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?

First, we need to distinguish between legal immigration and illegal entry into our country. I support visa reform, especially H-2A visa program improvements, because they are critical to building a more sustainable workforce. The agriculture industry needs a flexible visa program that addresses both seasonal and year-round workforces.

What would you do in Congress to support jobs and economic growth in Minnesota, including your position on tariffs and international trade agreements?

We need to build upon the tax provisions that I helped pass, which make American businesses more competitive, both here at home and across the world. We also need to continue to cut red tape and regulation. This means streamlining permitting processes and repealing burdensome requirements that make it harder to do business. We need to continue to encourage countries to come to the negotiating table and forge long term agreements that give American farmers and businesses markets for their products.

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?

I have already helped pass a bill, which was recently signed into law, that would make a permanent Fraud Task Force at the U.S. Department of Justice. This will give federal investigators the resources they need to crackdown on fraud, even when some state officials choose to ignore it or cover it up. I have also introduced a bill that would create new criminal penalties for state officials who retaliate against whistleblowers trying to bring attention to fraud occurring in our public programs. We heard troubling testimony from state government employees who tried to bring concerns about fraud to their superiors and were threatened and intimidated to stay quiet.