8th District debate features environment and BWCAW

CAMBRIDGE, Minn. (AP) - Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack and DFL challenger Rick Nolan are at odds over the best ways to create jobs and provide health care in their latest 8th District debate.
 
Cravaack and Nolan debated for a third time yesterday before an overflow crowd at Anoka Ramsey Community College in Cambridge.

On environmental issues, Nolan said environmentalists are not hurting economic development in Northeastern Minnesota. Cravaack criticized Nolan for opposing logging, snowmobiling and motor-boating when he voted to create the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildness in the late 1970s.

Cravaack said “Congressman Nolan sided essentially with the Twin City environmentalists and was actually in opposition of pro-growth, pro-economic reforms that we needed in the Northland to create jobs.”

Nolan said he remains proud of his BWCAW vote, which he suggested has created tourism jobs in the district. “It’s one of the 10 best destination-oriented vacations in the entire world,” he said. “People fly in from all over America, all over the world to take advantage of that great experience.”

Outside groups have spent nearly $4.5 million on the race in the 8th District, a key seat as the parties fight for control of the House.

Cravaack and Nolan will meet for their fourth and final debate Oct. 31 in Virginia.