Minnesota 2nd Congressional District Debate: Eric Pratt vs. Matt Little — Full Debate

[0:00] credit unions across Minnesota. [0:02] Local financial institutions built to serve members. [0:05] Learn more from a credit union near you. [0:08] Support comes from Hennepin Arts, [0:10] presenting An Evening with David Sedaris, [0:13] New York Times best-selling author and NPR humorist, [0:17] David Sedaris, at the State Theater, October 17th. [0:20] Tickets at hennepinarts.org. [0:28] Good afternoon, this is NPR News, I'm Katherine Richard. [0:32] We have another Politics Friday debate for you today. [0:34] Minnesota has eight members of the U.S. House, [0:37] and those seats do not change hands that often, [0:40] but this fall, one of them will for sure. [0:42] That's an open seat [0:43] in Minnesota's second congressional district. [0:46] The region's new congressman will represent an area [0:49] that encompasses the southern metro suburbs [0:52] and large swaths of farm country. [0:54] The two candidates vying for the job [0:56] have spent time in the Minnesota State Senate. [0:59] They're Matt Little, a Democrat, [1:01] and Eric Pratt, a Republican. [1:03] Both of them are with us for about 30 minutes today. [1:05] Welcome to both of you. [1:06] Thank you, yeah, thanks for having us. [1:08] Okay, we do debates a little bit differently at NPR News. [1:11] You're not gonna be on a clock, that's my job, [1:14] but we don't have endless time either. [1:16] So I just ask that you try to stay as brief as you can. [1:19] We want to get as many topics as we can today. [1:22] We'll also allow for rebuttal when it's warranted. [1:25] And most importantly, don't talk over each other, [1:28] it's not great radio. [1:29] For our radio audience, you can find a live video feed [1:32] of this debate at nprnews.org, [1:35] or you can come back to view that later [1:37] if you miss something. [1:38] Are you ready to get started? [1:40] Okay. [1:41] Let's do it when you are. [1:42] Eric Pratt, by most accounts, [1:43] your party is entering the home stretch, [1:45] facing some headwinds. [1:47] How are you working to distinguish yourself [1:49] from the Washington Republican power structure [1:52] that's in place right now? [1:54] That's a great question, Catherine. [1:57] I've been really an independent voice [1:59] in the Minnesota Senate for a long time. [2:01] Every bill I've passed has been a bipartisan bill. [2:04] I know how to work across the aisle [2:06] and how to get things done. [2:08] I think it comes from my experience [2:09] working in the corporate world [2:10] where we were expected to solve problems [2:13] or we got fired. [2:14] And my job was always either to take on a new problem [2:19] or fix a team that was broken. [2:21] And that's what I've been able to do [2:24] in the Minnesota Senate. [2:25] That's what I did in 12 years on the Prior Lake School Board [2:28] where we overcame a million dollar debt [2:31] into a three million dollar surplus [2:32] and test scores went up. [2:33] We did some great work there [2:35] and I expect to bring that same sense of accomplishment [2:41] to Washington. [2:42] So focusing on your individual attributes, [2:44] not the party at large. [2:45] I got it. [2:45] Okay, and Matt Little, [2:47] you prevailed in a multi-candidate primary in August. [2:50] How much patching up have you had to do [2:52] to unify your party base here? [2:54] Well, thanks, Ann. [2:55] I understand it's the last day of the member drive here. [2:57] And so with the Trump administration [3:00] and Republicans attacking public radio, [3:02] for those listening, if you got a couple extra bucks, [3:04] please throw it in. [3:05] Otherwise, these debates cannot happen. [3:08] Patching up, it's been just fine. [3:10] I worked with Senator Klein, [3:13] who ran against in the primary, [3:14] and also had the opportunity to work [3:16] with Representative Berg while I was in the state Senate. [3:19] And so I was proud to have their endorsement. [3:22] Very proud during our campaign, [3:23] we've been able to bring all political ideologies [3:27] within our party together, [3:28] and that's why we were so successful and won by so much. [3:31] But I think going back to the first question you asked [3:33] about whether Eric Pratt is an independent, [3:37] a moderate, or different than mega, he's not. [3:40] Now, he's a nice guy. [3:42] He doesn't sound like Trump, [3:43] but his politics are one of quiet extremism. [3:47] He knowingly hired a white nationalist to his campaign. [3:51] NPR did a story on that. [3:53] And this is a guy that was anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, [3:56] said things like, [3:57] I want to do blackface as Dr. Martin Luther King. [4:00] Some very atrocious stuff. [4:02] He voted to allow extradition [4:05] of women seeking reproductive care, [4:06] criminal extradition of women [4:09] seeking reproductive care here in Minnesota. [4:11] He wants to keep us in a forever war in Iran. [4:14] And he won't even admit that climate change is real. [4:17] We're going to get to some of those topics, [4:18] but Eric Pratt, I want to give you a chance to respond there. [4:21] Yeah, well, it kind of goes to the fact that, [4:24] you know, my opponent continues to misstate what happened. [4:28] Look, we didn't knowingly hire a white nationalist. [4:31] Two, you know, we didn't check his social media. [4:36] He started off as a driver and he worked. [4:38] He was never part of policy. [4:39] He was never part of communication. [4:42] He was our sign guy. [4:43] He was a door knocker, [4:45] but not anywhere near that. [4:50] And we took care of it within an hour [4:53] of finding out what had happened. [4:55] We had held our campaign accountable. [4:58] It was a mistake, [5:01] and it was a mistake that we rectified very quickly. [5:05] That's what people expect. [5:06] They want politicians. [5:08] And we put in stuff in place to make sure [5:10] that it doesn't happen again. [5:13] I think that's that's the kind of accountability [5:15] that people in the second are looking for. [5:17] The other stuff is just silliness, [5:19] and I'm not even going to address it. [5:21] OK, well, staying with you, Eric Pratt, [5:22] polls do show that the war in Iran is unpopular among voters. [5:26] If you are elected to Congress, [5:28] would you support additional funding for that war? [5:33] The conflict in Iran is really a difficult one, right? [5:36] Because we can't afford to have a nuclear Iran. [5:42] And Iran with a nuclear weapon [5:44] becomes a clear and present danger [5:45] to the United States and its allies. [5:47] They've been at war with us for almost 50 years. [5:53] We have to end this conflict [5:55] from a position of strength, not a position of weakness. [5:58] We can't have a situation [6:01] like the Afghanistan withdrawal happen here. [6:05] We have to make sure that Iran never has [6:08] access to a nuclear weapon. [6:11] We have to make sure that they can never control [6:12] the Strait of Hormuz, that that is a free shipping lane. [6:16] And we have to end their sponsorship [6:18] of terrorism around the world. [6:21] Those are things that absolutely have to happen. [6:23] We have to negotiate that from a position of strength. [6:28] I don't want to be in this conflict [6:30] any longer than we need to. [6:31] I don't want our men and women in uniform at risk. [6:35] But I also know that we have to we have to make sure [6:40] that that Iran is is is not allowed [6:43] to continue what they've been doing. [6:45] Matt Little, same question. [6:46] Would you vote? [6:47] Would you vote for additional funding if elected? [6:49] Hmm, definitely not. [6:51] And again, to to follow up on some of this stuff, [6:55] Austin Brown was his field director. [6:57] The person he hired is his field director. [6:58] We're going to stay on the topic of the Iran war right now. [7:00] But the record does need to be corrected. [7:02] It was one of three positions he had. [7:03] It's a high level position. [7:05] We will stay on Iran. [7:06] But I think it's also important to point out [7:08] that he called silliness things like criminal extradition [7:12] for people seeking reproductive care. [7:13] He called that silliness. [7:14] He called a forever war in Iran silliness. [7:16] He called denying that climate change is real silliness. [7:20] I think the only thing silly is that Eric Pratt [7:22] won't answer these questions. [7:23] I've been very clear that I would leave Iran immediately. [7:27] We have been lied to. [7:28] The idea that we are there for nuclear weapons [7:31] is also incorrect. [7:33] In June 2025, Donald Trump, [7:35] declared victory and said we had completely annihilated [7:38] Iran's nuclear capabilities. [7:39] But now, apparently, that's not true. [7:42] So either we were lied to then, we were lied to now, [7:45] or we were lied to both times. [7:47] It's false. [7:48] I do want to stay on this point that Eric made, [7:51] which is that, you know, an abrupt departure [7:54] could lead to additional instability. [7:56] Is that something that concerns you? [7:57] Look at the instability now. [8:00] What are we getting out of this now? [8:01] The only people that are benefiting from this are oil refineries here in Minnesota. [8:07] Well, not in Minnesota necessarily, but in our country. [8:10] They are making record profits. [8:12] Exxon, in the second quarter of this year, made double what they made last year. [8:16] And these are the people funding Eric Pratt's campaign. [8:19] The Koch brothers, the Koch PAC, has supported and endorsed Eric Pratt. [8:22] There's a reason he wants to stay in Iran, and it's not for national security. [8:25] It's for profits for the people that are supporting his campaign. [8:28] I'll give you a chance to respond. [8:30] Yeah, well, I mean, this is the way the campaign's been going all along. [8:34] It's been about personal attacks. [8:35] It's about misstating my record. [8:38] You know, we have two refineries in the second congressional district. [8:42] They employ thousands of people. [8:45] They support thousands of families in that district. [8:48] Having affordable energy is the backbone of our economy and really, I mean, all of our [8:58] residents. [9:01] To say that the only reason I want to stay in Iran is because of the oil companies is [9:08] absolutely ludicrous. [9:10] I want us to be the world is safer when we are the strongest nation on in globally. [9:18] And we have to make the world safe. [9:20] But these unfounded charges by my opponent continue. [9:24] And that's the silliness I'm talking about, how he continues to misstate what happens. [9:31] We need a congressman with integrity, not one that you have to fact check. [9:34] OK, Matt, I'm going to go back to you during this campaign. [9:38] We have heard a lot of members say that Congress really needs to address Social Security, given [9:44] that projections that the trust fund will be depleted in the next decade or so. [9:48] Is there any circumstance in which you would agree to raise the age when people can claim [9:54] those benefits? [9:55] And if not, what do you do to shore up this fund? [9:58] Yeah, I think this issue has definitely become a defining issue of the campaign as well. [10:04] And again, these are not personal attacks. [10:06] These are attacks on policies that hurt people, that have put people in danger. [10:11] We do not need to be in Iran. [10:13] And so on Social Security, I've been very clear on this. [10:16] We would pass the Social Security Expansion Act. [10:19] Right now, people only pay Social Security tax up to $185,000 approximately per year. [10:25] So someone that's making a million dollars stops paying tax up to that limit. [10:30] And that's the difference, is I would give people the retirement they've been promised. [10:34] Eric Pratt has now said twice that he would raise the age of eligibility for retirement, [10:39] and he would move towards privatization by letting people opt out of Social Security. [10:43] We can't have that. [10:45] Before we had Social Security, over half of people that were elderly in this country were [10:50] in poverty. [10:52] Eric Pratt, I have heard you talk about allowing younger people to opt out of Social Security [10:56] and use that money for other investments. [10:59] Does that further weaken the broader fund, and who shoulders the risk if those retirement [11:04] investments go south? [11:05] Eric Pratt, Well, that's a great question. [11:10] Looking at Social Security, you have to realize that this was a system that was devised in 1935. [11:14] It's 91 years old, back when the average age of an adult male was around 66. [11:22] Today we have life expectancies in the 80s. [11:26] It's much different. [11:27] We're living longer. [11:29] I agree with Matt. [11:30] We have to raise the cap on the income. [11:33] We need to bring more money in. [11:35] We have to keep the promises that we made to the people who have paid into the system, [11:39] right? [11:40] And I'm not suggesting that. [11:42] But when Social Security was devised, we didn't have 401 s. [11:46] We didn't have IRAs that we have today. [11:50] And if you want to opt out of the system, the risk is yours. [11:53] I get that. [11:55] But we have a growing population of retirees and fewer and fewer working people that are [12:04] able to support them. [12:05] We're going to see a 25% cut in Social Security benefits by 2032. [12:11] And so we have to figure out how to shore up the system so our seniors who paid in get [12:15] what they were promised, but also look at a system that's 91 years old and say, we need [12:21] to make some serious structural changes. [12:23] All right. [12:25] Matt Little? [12:26] Yeah. [12:27] Just very briefly. [12:28] I just think that is out of touch. [12:30] Because if you allow opt outs, it is going to decrease the fund. [12:33] And it's the first step you take if your real goal is to privatize Social Security. [12:39] It's an incredible problem. [12:41] But then you also heard Eric Pratt say, well, now we have 401 s and IRAs. [12:46] I think that's a mystery of what's happening in our economy, because a whole lot of people [12:49] don't have either of those things, and they rely on Social Security to make it through [12:53] retirement. [12:55] I want to stay on this for just a minute longer. [12:57] Eric Pratt, I mean, I don't think I heard a clear answer in there around how you would [13:01] actually shore up the fund, right? [13:03] With fewer people being able to contribute, some of them may be opting out under your plan. [13:07] How would you make sure that it was solvent? [13:09] Eric Pratt Well, there's a difference between privatization and opting out. [13:11] I mean, we have a number of people that opt out of Social Security today. [13:17] Many of our first responders aren't part of the Social Security program. [13:22] So we need to be able to keep the promises. [13:24] That means the federal government's going to have to come up with the money to keep those [13:27] promises. [13:30] But when the demographics aren't on your side anymore, when the actuarial tables are 91 years [13:36] old, you have to take a look at everything. [13:38] I don't pretend to have all the answers. [13:40] Eric Pratt I have ideas, I have a framework. [13:44] But just simply to say that I've heard no real solutions from my opponent on this other [13:50] than to raise the cap. [13:53] He's unwilling to take a hard stand. [13:57] And sometimes leaders have to look at unpopular options, right? [14:04] It's our job to communicate and let people know why these happen. [14:10] I don't stick my finger in the wind and try to read the polls. [14:13] I try to do what I think is best. [14:15] I want to move on to another topic that I think is very top of mind for people right [14:19] now. [14:21] We can talk about affordability broadly, but a lot of people are struggling with healthcare [14:25] costs right now. [14:29] Eric Pratt, you've talked about eliminating waste and fraud from the healthcare system. [14:34] Can you say more about what that would look like? [14:37] Where do you see opportunities to do that? [14:39] And how much could you potentially save? [14:42] So during a hearing in the Senate, we learned that 30% of our healthcare spending goes to [14:47] waste, fraud, and abuse. [14:49] Now we've talked about the fraud. [14:50] We've seen the fraud that's happened in the system. [14:54] Some of the waste goes to what's happening in our clinics. [15:01] I was talking to a gentleman yesterday who works as a nurse. [15:05] And he sees doctors ordering low-value tests because they're afraid that they're going [15:10] to get sued for malpractice along the way. [15:14] So we need to look at some sort of tort reform. [15:16] We should have plain language health insurance policy so people understand what they're getting [15:22] into. [15:23] What I'm hearing from people in the second district is they want to keep choice. [15:28] But we also need to really look at a system that's going to bend the cost curve. [15:33] And say more about how that would actually translate to me or you saving more money on [15:39] healthcare. [15:40] Well, okay. [15:41] So let's take 30% of your healthcare dollar is going to waste, fraud, and abuse. [15:45] If we can stop the fraud, and we're sitting roughly at about $9 billion of fraud right [15:49] now is a significant amount of money. [15:52] And that's just in Minnesota. [15:54] And then if you can do the tort reform, increase access to health providers, all that is good. [16:05] And actually, we should be looking at more preventative care rather than late stage care. [16:12] You know, I saw this one. [16:16] And then we have to have Medicare and Medicaid pay what it actually costs to provide services. [16:22] Our rural hospitals and our nursing homes are struggling. [16:24] I served on the board of a nursing home and long-term care. [16:28] Medicare and Medicaid, we're only paying a little over half of what it cost us to provide [16:32] those services. [16:33] So we need to fix the system that's in place first before we start expanding it. [16:37] Okay. [16:38] Matt Little, you've mentioned passing Medicare for all. [16:40] This is an idea that has been tossed around Washington for decades as a potential solution. [16:46] Is it realistic in a potentially divided government, too? [16:50] And what does that actually entail? [16:51] Yeah, thanks. [16:53] And to go to the 30% waste-front abuse, the study that is actually being cited for that, [16:59] which the actual facts are being glossed over, most of the waste in that study is actually [17:05] from administrative complexity in the private health insurance market. [17:09] Now, Eric Pratt's not going to tell you that part of the survey because it doesn't suit his [17:13] politics, but we have built in right now in our healthcare system, the private insurance [17:18] healthcare system, 20% of costs built in to your healthcare costs are for administration [17:25] and profit. [17:26] If you switch to Medicare for all, the cost of administration is only two to 3%. [17:31] So there's instant cost savings. [17:33] Now, is it realistic? [17:35] There's all sorts of things throughout our history that people have said weren't realistic. [17:39] Women's right to vote, suffrage, civil right. [17:43] What is so funny about a woman's right to vote? [17:45] Nothing. [17:46] I just... [17:47] Wow. [17:48] That's inappropriate. [17:49] That's deeply inappropriate, Eric. [17:50] Get yourself together. [17:51] There are all sorts of things, even Social Security, which we just talked about, things [17:53] that we thought were impossible have happened. [17:56] And so we can fight for the right thing and get it done. [17:59] And in 2029, when we take back the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, and the White House, [18:03] we're going to have an opportunity for generational change, and I think that includes Medicare [18:06] for all. [18:08] You're banking on a big blue wave here, it sounds like, in the coming... [18:13] This cycle and in 2028. [18:15] Okay. [18:16] Eric Pratt, go ahead and respond. [18:17] No, thanks. [18:18] I actually agree with my opponent on administrative costs. [18:21] I mean, the rules and regulations that the states and federal government have put on have [18:26] made that more complex. [18:27] My daughter just went through some stuff where the clinic made errors in her billing that [18:33] caused a delay in payment. [18:36] But there's also studies that contradict what he says about Medicare for all. [18:39] It's going to cost us more. [18:41] We're going to see higher usage. [18:43] We're going to see lines. [18:46] Projections are that it's going to be somewhere around $3.2 to $3.7 trillion to provide healthcare. [18:55] We're going to see about a 60% increase in the amount of taxes that have to go to the [19:00] federal government. [19:01] And it's going to take away choice from parents or patients that are telling me that that's [19:05] what they need. [19:06] You know, we can go back in history, but there are real systemic issues of bringing down that [19:19] cost curve. [19:20] He's touched on a few. [19:21] We don't need to blow up the system in order to do that. [19:26] We just need to be patient focused, and we need to really look at bending the cost curve. [19:32] Simply going to Medicare for all changes who pays for it doesn't actually change the cost. [19:36] Okay. [19:37] Matt, I think you wanted to respond. [19:38] Those are things you can say when you've always been covered and always have had good [19:43] health insurance and good healthcare. [19:45] And Eric Pratt is able to say those things because that's the life he has lived. [19:49] But there's a whole lot of people out there that cannot afford their premium. [19:53] They cannot even see a doctor. [19:56] They don't have access. [19:57] And so these numbers he's throwing out are just completely untrue. [20:01] The studies say that this will save us $1 trillion a year. [20:05] The average household will save $3,000 on their healthcare costs per year. [20:09] Right now we spend per capita double than per person, double what any other developed nation [20:18] spends on people. [20:19] And we get worse outcomes. [20:20] We have one of the lowest life expectancies among developed nations, and we have the highest [20:25] infant mortality rate. [20:26] We are not getting any value out of this current system. [20:29] So let's get people covered from the day they're born until the day they pass. [20:33] Okay. [20:35] We're going to move on to farming. [20:36] Now I've got a couple of questions for both of you here. [20:38] Angie Craig, the person you're trying to replace was a top member of the Agriculture Committee [20:42] and had a hand in crafting a major farm bill that didn't go anywhere. [20:47] Do you want a spot, Matt Little, on the Ag Committee? [20:51] And if so, what are one or two things that would be necessary in the next farm bill? [20:55] Oh, thanks. [20:56] I think there are probably two committees I'm looking at. [20:59] I don't really like the parlor games before the election is over. [21:03] But certainly ag and then also government oversight. [21:07] Those are the things that I would be looking for. [21:09] There's a couple of good things already in the farm bill that I like. [21:13] Year-round E15 would be a huge help to our local agricultural economy. [21:18] But I also like the increased loan programs so that people can buy equipment, people can buy land to get started. [21:24] Those are really good things. [21:25] Now, the things that are not so good are the additional SNAP requirements that have cut off food for people who really need it. [21:34] And that's actually hurt farmers, too, because the SNAP program provides them markets to sell to in places that wouldn't really have it. [21:44] Eric Pratt, would you seek a spot on the Ag Committee and what would be necessary for you to see in the next farm bill? [21:48] You know, I'm willing to serve wherever it is, but certainly ag is an important part of the 2nd District. [21:54] I think we do need to pass the farm bill. [21:57] We have a bipartisan farm bill that's sitting there and it needs to pass. [22:01] Certainly, the loan programs and access to capital are an important part of it. [22:06] The risk management aspects of it to protect farmers so that if there's a weather event or some catastrophic event that impacts their crops, [22:18] they need to be protected from that so they're not going bankrupt and losing their business. [22:22] We do need to increase markets for our farm goods, and that's what this farm bill does. [22:29] And we need to get it passed. [22:32] It's unfortunate that the Democrats and the Senate are holding this up. [22:36] And, you know, as far as SNAP benefits, Minnesota is getting $70 million a month in SNAP benefits, [22:42] and we have a 12% error rate, 12% error rate. [22:45] National average is about 6%. [22:47] No one has to lose their SNAP benefits. [22:51] We put in rules around work for able-bodied people without children or without young children. [22:59] These are the same rules that we had during the Clinton administration. [23:01] They weren't overly burdensome then, and there's no reason anybody has to lose their benefits as long as they just comply. [23:08] Staying with you, Eric Pratt, farms do rely heavily on immigrant labor. [23:12] Should the nation's immigration laws change to accommodate that reality? [23:16] You know, we always said once we secure the border, we should take a look at immigration reform, the border secure. [23:22] And I've been very out front in saying, yes, we do need to look at our new immigration laws. [23:30] You know, this is still the place in the world, the only place in the world where people dream to come. [23:35] This is the only place in the world where people's dreams can come true. [23:38] I was working on a Habitat for Humanity house, and this lady was in tears because when she was a little girl in Crimea, she had dreamed about having a backyard to play in, and now her kids were going to be able to do it. [23:50] So we are a nation of immigrants. We do need to take a look at immigration reform, and we need to make sure that it's meeting the needs of our business community. [24:01] We need to be looking at not only the jobs of today, but the jobs of tomorrow. [24:06] Matt Little, anything to add on reforming immigration laws to meet farming demands? [24:11] Yeah, of course. This affects my family. My grandparents started a farm in western Wisconsin in 1969. [24:19] My grandma's still living there. My grandpa passed last year, and my aunt runs the farm. [24:24] And what they do is they specialize in raising calves for dairy farms in the area, and they do about 15,000 calves a year. [24:31] And one of the biggest problems we have in our immigration system is that the primary way to bring labor into this country is through a temporary worker visa. [24:42] And so what ends up happening is these folks who already don't have a whole lot of money, they have to go back to their home country and then come back each year. [24:50] And it's very burdensome. It's very problematic. [24:53] We need to reform the immigration system so that people that have permanent agricultural labor needs can have a visa program that works for everybody. [25:03] All right. Matt Little, you mentioned a spot on potentially the Government Oversight Committee, so I want to stick with you for this one. [25:08] Traditionally, Congress has had a significant role in executive branch oversight. [25:13] What is the top thing that you think the next U.S. House should be examining related to the Trump administration? [25:19] Two things, if I can. And they're both equally important. Number one is corruption and self-dealing. [25:27] This president literally sells an app that you can get to get the press conferences ahead of time or the tweets ahead of time. [25:34] And you can do the buying and selling in the stock market or Couch or Poly market so that you can make money. [25:40] This guy has made $2 billion while he's been in office this second term. [25:45] We need a full evaluation of corruption. We need strong legislation to stop it. [25:50] The second thing, which is the biggest motivation for me, is holding ICE accountable. [25:55] These people murdered two of our citizens. They shot into a car yesterday in New York where there was a five-year-old. [26:02] We need to hold them accountable. And when they are hurting our people and violating the constitutional rights, they need to be held criminally accountable. [26:12] Eric Pratt? I can repeat the question here if you want. [26:16] Congress has had significant oversight over the executive branch in the past. [26:21] Is there anything that you think the next U.S. House should be examining as it relates to the Trump administration? [26:26] I think Congress needs to look within itself. We need to reestablish Congress as a co-equal branch of government. [26:34] You know, when we had the pandemic and Tim Walz was running the state by executive order, I actually held hearings, passed bills that would either codify or nullify his executive order. [26:52] Because I felt like he shouldn't be going around the legislature. And I think Congress needs to do the same thing. [26:57] If we go back over the last 25 years, presidents have relied more and more on executive orders as we go along. [27:05] And Congress has been complicit in that. So we need to be able to stand up and say, no, we're going to be the co-equal branch of government to the executive branch. [27:14] Okay. I want to talk about an issue that a year ago I may not have predicted would be an issue in this campaign or in this election cycle, [27:22] which is artificial intelligence and the technology's demand for new data centers. [27:27] CD2 has several communities facing data center proposals and there has been pushback. [27:32] Eric Pratt, what, if anything, would you do in Congress to address concerns over AI and data center construction? [27:38] When we look at artificial intelligence, there are certainly some legislation we can pass around standards. [27:50] And we should because it affects interstate commerce. We took some of those on in the Minnesota legislature that I supported. [27:57] But Congress needs to do that job as well. We also have to understand that artificial intelligence is a global security issue as well. [28:06] We have to enter into agreements among nations that are verifiable, that hold us all to the same standards. [28:14] Because we know that China and the Chinese Communist Party are trying to become the dominant economy in the world. [28:22] They're trying to overtake us. And we can't allow that to happen. And artificial intelligence is how they're planning to do it. [28:32] Now, data centers don't belong in every community. Some communities are doing them very well and they like them. [28:40] They are helping with their economic development. They're creating jobs. [28:44] I don't believe a national moratorium on data centers is the right approach. [28:48] One size fits all rarely fits anyone. [28:51] But I trust our local officials to make sure that we have data centers that are in the right locations, [28:59] that aren't using too much electricity, aren't using too much water. [29:04] We passed legislation on those consumer protections. [29:10] You're referring to the bill in the legislature that ensured that someone's utility rates wouldn't go up. [29:16] Right. [29:17] Okay, go ahead. [29:18] And those are things that we should do because the development should pay for itself. [29:23] But we shouldn't overstep and try to tell communities they can or can't from the federal level. [29:33] I trust them to figure it out on their own. [29:36] Matt Little. [29:37] Thanks. [29:38] The idea that Eric Pratt is going to take power back in Congress is a bit laughable to me. [29:45] When he started his campaign, he said he was all in for Trump. [29:48] He even went down to Mar-a-Lago trying to get Trump's support. [29:52] He recently sent a fundraising letter that said, I will stand with Trump. [29:57] He is not going to take any power back from Congress. [29:59] We're talking about data centers. [30:00] Yeah. [30:01] I'm getting there because this is relevant, too. [30:03] He's not going to regulate these things at all. [30:05] Eric Pratt's approach is to put a data center in your backyard, not his. [30:09] I've asked him before if he'd like one in Pryor Lake. [30:11] He refuses to answer that. [30:13] Eric Pratt voted for hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax breaks for these data centers that last 35 years. [30:21] That is not the approach. [30:24] That is not the policy approach we should take. [30:26] If they want to build them, they should use their own money. [30:28] I have proposed a one-year national moratorium because I believe in local control. [30:33] You can see what happened in Invergrove Heights. [30:35] They said, no, we don't want this data center. [30:37] They were sued for $20 million, and then they had to go back and change the ordinance again. [30:42] If you believe in local control, you should believe in a moratorium. [30:46] Eric Pratt, do you want to respond there? [30:49] Yeah. [30:50] Well, my opponent continues to misquote me. [30:53] I never said I was all in for Trump. [30:54] That was a reporter's editorial comment. [30:57] I never said it. [30:58] It's not a quote, Matt. [31:00] The tax breaks were passed before I was in the legislature. [31:04] And we had a bipartisan bill that increased, that protected ratepayers from paying increased cost of electricity. [31:14] We put in new permitting reforms for water, and we created a fee for these large data centers to help with our low income energy assistance program. [31:24] And if I'd have voted against those, I would be accused of not caring about ratepayers and water users and low income energy users. [31:32] So I did what I thought was right to protect the people today and be able to make sure our communities had the right basis for moving forward in this development. [31:45] I saw your hand go up, Matt Little, very quickly. [31:47] Very briefly. [31:48] Very briefly. [31:49] Yeah. [31:50] So Eric Pratt's in politics long enough to know that if a reporter is misquoting you or says something that you don't agree with, you can follow up with them and have it corrected. [31:57] Eric Pratt didn't want to correct it before the GOP endorsement. [32:00] He didn't want to correct it before the GOP primary, but now he wants to correct it because he's losing votes. [32:06] Okay. [32:07] One more question and we'll get to our closing statements here. [32:09] And I'm going to put both of you on the spot. [32:11] I'm going to start with you, Matt Little. [32:12] Sure. [32:13] You overlapped with your opponent, Eric Pratt, in the Senate. [32:17] What is a bill or issue that Eric Pratt worked on that you admired? [32:20] Actually, we worked on one together that I think we're both really proud of, [32:25] which is we put together a bipartisan, bicameral task force on insulin prices. [32:30] And it was really the first in the nation. [32:32] And so we worked on that and we were able to get a bill passed. [32:36] There were a lot of hurdles, a lot of opposition, a lot of money being thrown against us. [32:41] And so I was very proud of Eric Pratt for leading his party on that issue. [32:46] Eric Pratt, what about you? [32:49] Yeah, I'm proud of the insulin bill. [32:53] That wasn't something that I worked a lot with Matt on. [32:57] There was a group of senators and representatives that got together. [33:00] And Matt, I don't remember you being in the room. [33:03] Okay. [33:04] It was. [33:05] And so... [33:06] The question is, is there something that Matt Little worked on that you admire? [33:09] We had four meetings together, at least four meetings together, to talk about a bill. [33:13] Eric Pratt is not telling you the truth. [33:15] And I get that he's frustrated with how this debate went, but tell the truth. [33:19] I want to give Eric Pratt a chance to respond here. [33:21] Go ahead. [33:22] Eric Pratt. [33:23] You know, I appreciate that Matt had a couple of bills for his community that were important. [33:29] And, you know, we all try to do what's right for our local communities. [33:36] But at the end of the day, you know, and I talked to somebody who served with on the Lakeville City Council, [33:42] who said that he would often take credit for things he wasn't a part of and didn't vote for. [33:46] Okay. [33:47] We have reached the point where we are going to let you make your final statements here. [33:51] This is your pitch to people who might be voting right now or a month from now. [33:56] I'm going to start with you, Eric Pratt. [33:57] You have about a minute to make your closing argument here. [33:59] Go ahead. [34:00] Sure. [34:01] Well, I grew up in Prior Lake. [34:02] I raised my family there, and I spent most of my life in CD2. [34:05] You know, people are tired of the dysfunction, division, and chaos that's in Washington, D.C. [34:11] They want someone who's going to be able to rise above the noise, not be part of it. [34:14] And they want someone who's going to focus on the issues that matter to them and have a proven track record of delivering results. [34:22] I've done that. [34:23] I've done that in my business career, my 12 years on the school board, and in the Minnesota legislature. [34:30] I'm running because families are struggling with the high cost of living. [34:34] Businesses are dealing with rising costs and regulations. [34:40] Parents want their kids to have a good education, and they want them to have the same hope and opportunity they had growing up. [34:46] They want safe communities, and they want us to be responsible with their tax dollars. [34:50] I'm proud to have the endorsement of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, the Farm Bureau, the small business, and both union and non-union labor. [34:59] And I think it's time that we have proven leadership in Congress that can represent the residents of CD2. [35:06] Thank you, Eric Pratt and Matt Little. What is your closing statement in about a minute here? [35:10] Okay, I got you. [35:11] First of all, I just want to thank you for taking the time to host this debate and certainly NPR more generally for hosting this debate. [35:18] And I do want to thank my opponent for participating. [35:20] I think we're doing more debates than anybody. [35:22] And anybody that's willing to sign up and put their name on the ballot, this is not easy work. [35:27] This is very difficult. [35:28] So I have tremendous respect for Eric Pratt being willing to step up. [35:32] I think the debate is very clear about two different visions for this country. [35:38] I got in this race because I'm running on behalf of my daughter, who's seven years old and in second grade. [35:44] And this is her future, and I want something left for her. [35:47] So I'm fighting for things like getting out of another forever war in Iran, stopping the silly tariffs, building more housing, moving to Medicare for all, protecting Social Security, a life where people can afford it. [36:03] But then you have Eric Pratt and Trump's vision, which I believe is hateful. [36:08] And I believe it doesn't actually care about people. [36:11] And so I think the choice is very clear in this debate. [36:14] That is all the time that we have today. [36:17] We appreciate the two Second Congressional District candidates for being with us. [36:21] They're Matt Little for the DFL and Eric Pratt for the Republican Party. [36:25] Remember, Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3rd. [36:28] Early voting has begun. [36:29] You can stick around for more on Politics Friday as our regular host, Brian Baxt, and his team round out the show. [36:36] I'm Katherine Richard. [36:37] Thank you so much for tuning in.