Summary
Current Position: Marine Reserves
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2023 US Representative for District 2
I was born and raised in Minnesota, and after 9 years of active duty in the Marines, my wife Marie and I returned home to put down roots in Prior Lake. We’re concerned about the future of our country and whether our daughter and son will have the same opportunities we had growing up. And that is why I am running – to serve Minnesota’s 2nd District and to strengthen the future of America.
Source: Campaign page
OnAir Post: Tyler Kistner
About
Source: Campaign page
Tyler Kistner is a native Minnesotan who grew up in the Champlin/Brooklyn Park area and graduated from the University of Minnesota. Right after college, he married his high school sweetheart Marie and they made an unconventional career decision – Tyler commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps to serve his country.
Tyler served 9 years on active duty, mostly in the elite Marine Special Operations Forces unit known as the Marine Raiders. Tyler served on four overseas tours and advanced rapidly to command over 500 U.S. and partner nation personnel on numerous counterterrorism and counter China/Russia aggression operations. During his active service, Tyler had command and control of Special Operations programs totaling over $100 million in budget and assets.After 9 years of active duty, Tyler transitioned to the Marine reserves so that he and Marie could move back home to Minnesota. They put down roots in Prior Lake where they now have a daughter Elodie and a son Gabriel.
Like so many Minnesotans, Tyler is concerned about the direction of America and its future, not only for our generation but for our children and future generations of America. He believes Congress would be a whole lot more functional if every representative viewed their job as a service, not a status. And that’s why he’s running for Congress – to serve Minnesota’s 2nd District for America’s future.
Web
Politics
Source: Campaign
I’m running for Congress to “serve” – not to serve big business, not to serve the political elites – but to serve everyday Minnesotans who are increasingly concerned about our country’s future.
“We need representatives in D.C. who serve their districts, because America’s future is at stake. I’m a native Minnesotan who served 9 years active duty in the Marine Corps (most of which was in the elite Marine Special Operations unit, Marine Raiders), with four overseas tours, so I know service starts with protecting our nation – not open borders and defunding the police. Congress needs to serve our children and future generations with schools that educate, not indoctrinate. And we also need to serve hard working everyday Americans with an economy that grows while cost of living and gas prices don’t.
Finances
ISTNER, TYLER has run in 1 race for public office, winning 0 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $1,750,750.
Source: Follow the Money
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Democracy & Governance
ESTABLISH A SERVICE-BASED CONGRESS
Washington is full of empty promises. Take my opponent Angie Craig for example. She promised not to take special interest money, but less than two years after taking office, nearly 40% of her campaign donations are from corporate special interests and lobbyists. That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in broken promises.
I’m not a politician. My life has been about service and integrity, and that is what I want to bring to Congress. As your Congressman, I will work to clean up Washington and serve the people’s interests, not the interests of the elites or big business. I will hold town hall events every month to ensure that your concerns are being heard in Washington, and I will never become a lobbyist. I also will support term limits on career politicians in Congress, because a service-oriented Congress requires that representatives remember where they came from and who they represent.
PROTECTING SENIORS
Medicare and Social Security ensure that Americans who have paid into these programs can continue to live their lives without concerns of having to return to the workforce. I will always protect and defend Medicare and Social Security, and I will vote against any changes that would cut these important programs for our seniors.
While Angie Craig has played politics with these important programs, I will work to strengthen them. I’m committed to making sure that we eliminate waste and fraud within the programs, and people who abuse the system to take critical resources away from others should be punished.
I will continue to fight to lower the costs of healthcare and prescription drug prices to make sure that seniors have affordable and accessible healthcare in Minnesota.
Our government spending continues to increase with constant need to raise the debt ceiling to allow politicians to increase the national deficit. This runaway spending needs to be stopped. We need to look at ways to cut waste, find more reforms in our national budget, and advocate for a reduction in our spending, not find ways to increase it. The more debt we accumulate, the more we are putting on our future generations to deal with. It’s time we take responsibility and act now to address this issue.
Economy & Jobs
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
I’ve been fortunate to meet with so many everyday hardworking Minnesotan’s and their families in the 2nd District over the last several years. I’ve talked to small business owners and workers. All of their stories are important, and I will be a tireless advocate for our small businesses and workers in Congress to help set the conditions to allow our businesses and workforce grow.
America’s principles have allowed our economy to grow and flourish, but lately our economy has become stacked against the hardworking everyday Americans. Our economy is being divided between the haves and the have-nots, with the government making the choice of who gets to prosper. Economic prosperity is not achieved through endless regulations and government spending; it is achieved through allowing individuals to start private businesses, grow their businesses, and succeed.
We need to open up government control of our economy and ensure our small business owners and entrepreneurs receive the opportunity they need to grow their businesses and thrive. We need to serve our hardworking everyday Americans, with an economy that grows while cost of living and gas prices don’t.
TRADE AGREEMENTS
A strong economy relies on global and regional trade agreements to allow small and large businesses to move their goods, services, and products into all markets with full and fair access. This must be done in a manner that protects American businesses and enables the economic growth and prosperity of our state and national economies.
Greater access and fair trade in the globalized economy will continue to progress our economy and create more jobs and prosperity for our nation. We need to look at creating new trade agreements with regional partners while reforming the current ones we have with others. We also need to protect the nation and our businesses from corrupt foreign government practices which hurt our economy while strengthening theirs.
AGRICULTURE
I’ve been fortunate to meet with so many farmers in the 2nd District over the last several years. I’ve talked to dairy farmers, corn and soybean farmers, livestock farmers, and honeybee farmers. All of their stories are important, and I will be a tireless advocate for our family farmers in Congress.
Our farmers need trade deals that are fair and give full access to new markets. The majority of the world market must be available to U.S. farmers, and Congress has done nothing lately to address this issue. My opponent Angie Craig claims to be a strong advocate for our farmers, but she delayed the USMCA from getting approved by more than six months because her priority was impeachment and not looking out for our farmers in the 2nd District.
We also need to address our deteriorating infrastructure and expand rural broadband. Our rural communities need investment just as much as areas in the metro. And when it comes to the farm bill and federal programs for farmers, I’m in favor of them if they truly support our farmers and the ag community. As important as it is to have programs in the farm bill, it’s just as important to cut harmful regulations to build a strong agricultural economy.
Environment & Energy
NFRASTRUCTURE
It’s the federal government’s responsibility to establish critical infrastructure across the country to enable economic growth and prosperity. We cannot ignore the government’s obligation to enhance the nation’s critical infrastructure which is outdated and degrading.
But infrastructure means roads and bridges and railways, not the Democrat’s $3 trillion infrastructure bill that includes federal child care, electric car rebates and tax increases.
Enhanced and improved infrastructure will foster greater economic growth for the nation, while simultaneously creating jobs across Minnesota and the country, but only if we spend it wisely.
Health & Education
HEALTHCARE
The rising cost of healthcare is a critical issue facing Minnesota families. We need to offer patients more choices, rein in skyrocketing costs, improve quality, and expand access to care.
My plan is built on common sense, patient-focused solutions. We will lower healthcare prices by opening Health Savings Accounts, providing transparency in billing so patients know the true cost of care, and opening up state lines so consumers can get affordable and accessible healthcare no matter where they live. We will not go to a government controlled, single-payer healthcare system.
For too long, Congress has failed to truly reform our healthcare system. We need to enact reforms that cut costs, expand choice, and puts patients first.
PROTECTING SENIORS
Medicare and Social Security ensure that Americans who have paid into these programs can continue to live their lives without concerns of having to return to the workforce. I will always protect and defend Medicare and Social Security, and I will vote against any changes that would cut these important programs for our seniors.
While Angie Craig has played politics with these important programs, I will work to strengthen them. I’m committed to making sure that we eliminate waste and fraud within the programs, and people who abuse the system to take critical resources away from others should be punished.
I will continue to fight to lower the costs of healthcare and prescription drug prices to make sure that seniors have affordable and accessible healthcare in Minnesota.
EDUCATION
Our youth are the future of this nation, and our future prosperity hinges on the development of the youth as a new generation of leaders, innovators and patriots. Focus needs to be put on our education system to ensure our students are getting the greatest education available to develop their knowledge, skills, professional character, and future aspirations and goals.
The political indoctrination of our students in public schools must stop. Critical race theory is not an acceptable education system, especially not for our elementary school students. Students should be taught to work together, not to be segregated and divided by race.
School boards need more control over education, not the federal government. This will enable each community to address local education issues without federal dictates. I am completely in favor of all types of school options – public, voucher, charter, parochial, private, and others. Every parent should have the choice to send their children to any school they so choose. We live in the best country in the world, and educational choice should be at the forefront of childhood development.
Human Rights
2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS
I am 100% pro-2nd Amendment. I firmly believe the Founding Fathers implemented the 2nd Amendment most importantly for self-protection. We live in a big hunting & fishing state, and we love embracing our state’s heritage, but the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to protect the rest of the Constitution. It’s not about hunting or even self-defense. It’s a constitutional right. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. The problem with gun-restriction laws is that they make it harder for average law-abiding citizens to own guns while doing nothing to hinder criminals from buying guns on the streets or on the black market. We don’t need more gun-control in America, we need gun-education and stronger mental health awareness.
Public Safety
We also need to protect our communities from domestic threats. The “defund the police” movement has made America more dangerous and our communities less safe for families. Congress must work with state officials to support local law enforcement while we work to improve policing policies. This starts with close contact and coordination with State Elected Leaders to ensure law enforcement have the resources necessary to keep our communities safe.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The primary purpose of the federal government is to protect our nation so that all Americans can live in peace. As the leader of the free world, it’s America’s responsibility to maintain a security presence globally to protect freedom and U.S. interests. This forward presence helps keep our enemies off American shores.
Congress needs to support the funding of our military and ensure that funding goes to the right places to enhance our national security. Our focus needs to be on the increase of our defense forces and cyber capabilities to ensure we maintain a clear strategic advantage for the 21st century battlefields, both on land and in the internet, while also protecting our borders to maintain peace and prosperity for our economy to flourish.
As a Marine veteran, healthcare for our veterans is a very personal issue for me. Every veteran who gets treated by the VA deserves the best quality of care available. Anything less is simply unacceptable because our men and women who served our Armed Forces and put their lives on the line should not be taken for granted.
I support giving veterans the ability to choose medical care anywhere that makes sense for them, not just within the VA health facilities. Veterans gave America everything they could, so we need to make sure America gives them our best when they come home.
In Congress, I will help our veterans by expanding healthcare choices for our veterans, introducing legislation to continue to expand benefits for veterans.
