WORTHINGTON — With the 1st Congressional District race in its home stretch, DFL candidate Dan Feehan and his campaign team were busy reaching out to Worthington voters Friday afternoon.
Feehan, locked in what’s seen as a tight race with incumbent Rep. Jim Hagedorn, met virtually with campaign volunteers Friday afternoon. His primary message just four days before Election Day: The district’s people come first.
“When you vote, you’re voting for a candidate, but you’re also really voting for the people,” Feehan said. “This is bigger than any one person.”
Feehan elaborated on this notion by referencing a Rochester doctor “who has been on the front lines of COVID for the past nine months,” an Albert Lea farmer “who’s working as hard as he can but getting farther and farther behind” and others in the district facing struggles.
“I’m thinking about a teacher in Worthington … and when I talked to this teacher, they spoke about how exhausted they were after just one week of trying to figure out how they were going to deliver education to every student,” Feehan said.
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“I’m thinking about a high school student in Worthington who donated $17 to this campaign,” he continued. “This is an individual who has worked and volunteered with our campaign … and it’s incredible to see a younger person taking agency in their future.
“He could have done anything with that $17 … and he’s literally doing everything he can to try and change things in this election.”
The 2020 1st Congressional District race is a rematch of the 2018 matchup in which Hagedorn eked out a narrow victory over Feehan. Hagedorn, Feehan contended — along with President Trump and his administration, as well as other Republicans — is putting people last as a result of failed leadership.
“The important thing to remember is, there’s an American tradition in the time of crisis that you expect leadership and you expect unity from leaders,” Feehan said. “This administration has quit on us, and Congressman Hagedorn quit on us.
“There’s a saying in the Army: ‘When in charge, be in charge.’ People need to know that leadership is coming, and things are going to change.”
Feehan noted that voters should not vote by mail at this time, as ballots cannot be trusted to arrive in time for Election Day.
