House District 7A 2026 Election Guide

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Paul Battaglia

Incumbent

Website: spencerigo.com

Party: Republican

Age on Election Day: 30

Community: Wabana Township

Employment: Small Business Owner

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

I have BS in Public Administration from the University of North Dakota which I pursued for my passion to build strong communities like ours. I also had the opportunity to work for 2 years in Congressman Pete Stauber's District Office. This all combined with my last 6 years of legislative experience as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and recently a member of the Ways and Means Committee along with a Co-Chair of the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee, gives me not only the tools but the relationships to continue the work of the people of our district.

Why are you running?

I am running for re-election to continue the work of the people of House District 7A. Serving as our representative has been an amazing and humbling experience to not only deliver on the needs of our district, but also to create partnerships that are working and advocating to make our home even better. My experience in this life is all due to one thing, being raised right here in Northern Minnesota and the Iron Range. It is that upbring that lit a fire inside of me to serve and advocate for our home. We can have a thriving economy, vibrant schools, and communities that flourish if we continue to work together. That is why I am running for re-election so that we can continue creating and fostering partnerships that lead to not just the success of our community, but our entire state.

Why should voters elect you?

I am asking for your vote to continue to build on our combined commitment and goals for our district. My focus these past two years has been around energy, housing, and funding education. I was able to pass bipartisan bills like a first in generation nuclear energy study, housing reforms and funding, and a historic bipartisan constitutional amendment that is now on every Minnesotan’s ballot this fall that will increase funding to schools at 0 cost to the taxpayer. All these accomplishments are the building blocks for the work I am asking to continue to work on. We need to continue to pass energy bills that diversify our electric grid and restore affordability and reliability. Housing policy needs to continue to drive on cutting red tape and mandates to build the homes people want. It is work like this that will make our communities strong for generations to come.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.

My top three priorities would be centered around affordability in our state and streamlining government. One priority would be removing the moratorium on nuclear power so that we could have conversations and invest in the potential if Minnesota were to build this carbon free baseload power. Second, we need to remove duplicate programs in state government. By doing this, tax dollars are spent more efficiently while reducing the cost of the programs which ends up as tax savings. Finally, we need to continue the work on permitting reform at all levels of government. This doesn’t mean cutting regulations, it means making a system that has a clear process and timeline, so people, business, and communities know what to expect.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I have always admired Marcus Aurelius. Now I know that is an old answer and from a different time in government, but he authored a book titled “Meditations” that was written roughly 1,850 years ago. The ideas of Aurelius were to be an objective leader of people. To lead with duty, composure, discipline, humility, and thoughtful decision making. It is these principles that I strive to follow in my role as an elected official and my life. I find it grounding and gives me perspective when addressing any issue that are brought up in my role. One of his most famous quotes is one I try to live my life by, “The happiness of your life is directly related to the happiness of your thoughts.”

What natural resources policies do you support?

I would continue to champion energy policy around nuclear, biomass, and carbon sequestration. All these policies offer the ability to create new industry and tax base which takes the burdens away from taxpayers and stabilizes our economies. We can combine this energy policy with reforms to programs like ESST and PFML so that they work better and more efficiently in ways that respects employees and businesses. By continuing to work on permitting reform these three things would result in thriving economic development not only in our district but the entire state that would benefit local governments and every single taxpayer.

What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?

The Office of Inspector General is a great first step in addressing fraud that I support. Like my previous answer, the main solution is streamlined government. If we can remove duplicate programs and offices that result in consolidation, the risk of fraud decreases. Combining this with continued strengthening of our laws and enforcement measures we can end fraud and reduce government spending. This is how we return trust in government and save taxpayer money.

What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level? 

I would continue to champion energy policy around nuclear, biomass, and carbon sequestration. All these policies offer the ability to create new industry and tax base which takes the burdens away from taxpayers and stabilizes our economies. We can combine this energy policy with reforms to programs like ESST and PFML so that they work better and more efficiently in ways that respects employees and businesses. By continuing to work on permitting reform these three things would result in thriving economic development not only in our district but the entire state that would benefit local governments and every single taxpayer. Finally, we need to remove or change the unfunded mandates that have flowed to all levels of local government.

What does representative democracy mean to you?

It means everything. Representative democracy is what makes not just our state great, but our entire nation. Obviously, we run as members of our respected parties but the minute I take my oath of office my job is to be a voice and representative of all people I represent, and I take that very seriously. The more we focus on the founding fathers and the true intention behind our representative democracy, the better our government can work for every single person. “Government of the people, by the people, for the people…” is a resounding and reverberating line through our nation's history that is the core to job of elected service no matter the level to ensure liberty and justice for all.

Website: teamerin7a.com

Party: DFL

Age on Election Day: 60

Community: Hibbing

Employment: First Call for Help of Itasca County-988 Crisis Call Specialist. Sportsmans Restaurant &Taverna-Server.

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

I studied political science and constitutional law at Bemidji State University. I bring state policymaking experience from serving two appointed terms on the Minnesota Community College Board and one term on the Minnesota State University Board. More importantly, I have the lived experience of a single mother navigating rising costs, dwindling healthcare access, and the daily realities facing working families.l

Why are you running?

I'm running because I believe that we need citizen leaders from all walks of life to step up and get involved in government. Corporate donors and professional political operatives have drowned out the voices of everyday Americans who keep this country running strong. I am not taking any special interest money because we deserve a representative whose time, effort, and vote belong exclusively to the people of northern Minnesota.

Why should voters elect you?

Most of us agree: it's time for a change. I possess the courage, integrity, and common sense to prioritize serving the people of the Northland over party battles or lobbyist interests. I bring some fresh ideas to the table along with a commitment to make government work for all of us.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.

Public education, health care, and jobs. Quality public education ensures that all Minnesota kids can build a stable, meaningful life. We should change the formula for the permanent School Fund so it does not disadvantage rural schools, and we should protect against defunding public education with private school vouchers. Our Healthcare System is flawed. I support single-payer Medicare for all. We must move our economy beyond boom-and-bust cycles of mining dependence. We can stimulate job creation by reducing the influence of lobbyist insiders to ensure that innovative ideas have a fair chance to gain public support.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I worked for Paul Wellstone and Rudy Perpich, both of whom set the bar high for public servants. Gov. Perpich thought outside the box, he brought innovative ideas to the table. Senator Wellstone dared to stick with his values without ever losing sight of the principle that politics ought to be about the improvement of people's lives.

What natural resources policies do you support?

I support timber and forestry cooperativr managrment, water quality standards, stringent permiting for economic development, and proactive wildlife and habitat management

What policies do you support to address concerns of widespread fraud in state-run programs?

We need to rethink many of our public-private relationships. We have an outdated idea that business does everything better than government. When we contract with private business to provide government services we lose essential oversight and allow fraud to flourish.. At the very least, we need to dramatically increase follow-up and implement stringent auditing of government contracts with private providers. We need tighter rules on auditing grant and loan programs. Finally, we must investigate and prosecute white-collar crime with the same speed and vigor as any other crime.

What policies would you champion to help alleviate growing property tax burdens on residents at the local government level? 

We should reform our system for funding schools. The current system relies too heavily on local tax levies. We must close the tax loopholes to ensure that the top 1% and corporations pay their fair share. I support adding the 5th tier for income tax. We need to be mindful of mandating local projects for which the state doesn't provide the funds.

What does representative democracy mean to you?

Representative democracy means that a community chooses a trusted representative to act on their behalf when making policies and laws at the city, county, state, or federal level. This process can be made simpler with term limits and by reducing the influence of money on political campaigns. Our system functions best when lobbyists and career politicians do not hold all the power. Ultimately, it works best when the people’s interests come first.