In an apparent gaffe, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig promised during a Thursday debate that she would “never stop standing up for big pharma and standing against my constituents.”
Craig is running against Republican Tyler Kistner in a swing district that the National Republican Congressional Committee is targeting for a pickup. Kistner, a Marine veteran who also ran against Craig in 2020, is a member of the NRCC’s Young Guns program. (RELATED: Marine Veteran Turned Congressional Candidate Tyler Kistner Slams MLB’s Anthem Kneelers)
Craig, who introduced legislation capping the price of insulin at $35 per month for consumers, alleged during the debate that Kistner would be a reliable vote for special interest groups like the pharmaceutical and oil industries.
“I’ve had my head down doing everything to reduce drug costs, while Mr. Kistner is being funded by big pharma. I’ve had my head down fighting for year-round sales of E-15 supporting our family farmers. So you can’t just complain about it when get to Congress, you actually have to put your head down and try to do something about it,” Craig said.
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“Coming from the member who receives the second-most of special interest in the entire Congress of 435 members, I’d love to see what type of special interest money I’ve actually been receiving,” Kistner shot back. “Because all I know is I’m getting funded by the grassroots effort, which has spread across this entire district, and I can see half of them at least, almost all of them, in this room right now. That’s exactly who I’m fighting for, that’s exactly who I’m funded by.”
“This is the second-most expensive House race in the nation right now. And what is driving that is super PAC funding and that super PAC funding for Tyler Kistner is coming from big oil and big pharma,” Craig responded.
“Tyler Kistner and his funding from super PACs, that is how they’re trying to hold me accountable” for the price fixing scheme, she continued. “I will never stop standing up for big pharma and standing against my constituents.”
A two-term incumbent, Craig is one of several Democrats running in competitive elections who believe President Joe Biden should not seek a second term in office. Biden won Craig’s district by nearly seven points in 2020, while Craig defeated Kistner by two.