Jill Abahsain running for U.S. Representative in District 7

“I’m running because we don’t have strong rural representation for our district,” Abahsain said. “Our current representative only represents fringe urban ideals.”

The DFL-endorsed candidate said she was also running because she doesn’t see any legislation surrounding growth in rural areas and services. She’s also concerned with access to rural healthcare.

“People have to travel far too far for proper healthcare in these areas,” she said.

Folks in these rural communities have a 10% higher mortality rate due to this lack of access, according to Abahsain.

Throughout Wilkin County, which is in District 7, the only places to get healthcare are in Breckenridge, Minnesota, including Wilkin County Public Health and CHI St. Francis Medical Center. Other close options include Otter Tail Public Health in Fergus Falls or Barnesville Area Clinic in Barnesville, Minnesota.

On top of rural healthcare, Abahsain hopes to focus on rural education, childcare and pre-school and protecting the farm bill.

“Education is linked to the economic prosperity of rural people and places. The educational attainment of people living in rural areas has increased over time but has not kept pace with urban gains, especially in college and postgraduate education,” Abahsain stated on her campaign website. “Rural school districts can average from 20-50% less funding than urban districts. To address this critical inequity, we need to develop funding structures that mitigate lower rural populations so that children across America, rural and urban, obtain quality education.”

Abahsain said she has heard from the people in District 7 that inflation and the farming industry are their biggest concerns. We’re seeing less people attracted to working as farmers because towns are not offering what they need to succeed, she elaborated further.

“Farmers are getting older and younger people aren’t being attracted,” she said.

She feels like she is unique from her competitor because she has a long history in the party and is endorsed by the DFL party. She also said her qualities and values align more with the party and its voters than the other candidate.

Abahsain ran for state senate in 2020 against Torrey Westrom in legislative District 12. She gained over 11,000 votes, or just over 25%, unfortunately failing to secure a spot against the incumbent.

In the Aug. 9 primary election, Abahsain will face off against Alycia R. Gruenhagen, to find out which candidate will face off against Fischbach-R and Travis “Bull” Johnson-Legal Marijuana Now, in the November general election.

To find out more about Abahsain you can visit her campaign website at https://www.jillforthehill.org/ or email her at Jill@jillforthehill.org.