State Senate candidates participate in forum

Anthony Monzon reports

Respects rather subdued.

Kimt news three's anthony monzon monitored that event and joins me live with a look at the issues.

Anthony.

George... these forums hosted by the rochester public library are not designed to force confrontation between candidates... and in some ways they did struggle to showcase differences between each other.

But the different visions they present for rochester's future were still evident during this discussion.

Xxx minnesota state senate candidates... squaring off in the race to represent district 25.

Incumbent senator david senjem and challenger sara flick presented their plans on issues facing rochester residents... including medicare for all... which experts say could impact mayo clinic's bottom line.

"i would not be in favor of medicare for all, in large part because of where we live, and the importance of mayo clinic to our community."

"if i see a bill in front of me that will give people more care, i will sign that bill, and i will sign onto that bill, and then i would get up the next day and continue to fight for a better system."

Senjem and flick also shared their positions on raising minnesota's minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour... which the incumbent senator says would ultimately eliminate summer jobs.

"i think in many cases, people across the line are making fifteen dollars an hour.

But that's simply going to abandon, if you will, or take away a lot of summer college jobs, things like that."

"yes, i know my opponent voted against minimum wage two or three times, and i have to push back on that idea that this would take away summer college jobs.

As you can hear... these candidates are sharing very different visions for the med city's future future.

And with early voting already underway... flick and senjem have no time to waste in earning the support rochester residents.

Live in rochester... anthony monzon... kimt news three.

Thank you anthony.

Tonight's forum was one of fourteen such forums featuring the local candidates for school board, city council, county