Todd‑Wadena Electric Cooperative hosted its Meet the Candidates Forum on Thursday, August 27 at the Wadena Memorial Auditorium. All state and federal candidates were invited to participate. The evening began with a short social at 5:30 p.m., giving candidates an opportunity to meet and converse with constituents before the forum started promptly at 6:00 p.m.
Approximately 90 voters attended the event to hear from candidates who will appear on the November ballot. Over the two‑and‑a‑half‑hour forum, candidates responded to questions on a wide range of topics, including energy, wildfire mitigation, agriculture, affordability, fraud prevention, and more. Due to time constraints, not all audience‑submitted questions could be asked, and voters were encouraged to reach out to candidates directly with any additional questions.
Candidates (and the offices they are seeking) in attendance included:
- Erik Osberg (DFL) – U.S. Representative, District 7
- Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (R) – U.S. Representative, District 7
- Representative Mike Wiener (R) – State Senate, District 5
- Skylar Fynboh (DFL) – State Senate, District 5
- Krista Knudsen (R) – MN House, District 05A
- Dan S. Mitchell (DFL) – MN House, District 05A
- Dr. Jonathan Claussen (R) – MN House, District 05B
- Maggie Evers (DFL) – MN House, District 05B
- Owen Werner (DFL) – MN House, District 10A
A special thank‑you goes to our long‑time forum moderator, Dan Skogan- a Todd‑Wadena member, former TWEC Board Member, and current member of the TWEC Nominating Committee. We also extend our appreciation to all candidates who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with area voters, and to every community member who attended.
This event is designed for you- the voters- to bring candidates directly to our community so you can listen, engage, and ask questions that matter to you.
Todd‑Wadena Electric Cooperative does not endorse, support, or oppose any candidate or political party. The Cooperative will not endorse, in name, any candidate or party by statement of endorsement or contribution of money. Participation by a candidate in this event does not imply endorsement by Todd‑Wadena Electric Cooperative.
Weren’t able to attend the forum? You can watch the full replay of the livestream below:
