Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party senatorial candidate and incumbent Tina Smith urges Fergus Falls to vote in primaries this Tuesday.

Smith moved to Minnesota in 1984 with her husband and has lived in Minnesota ever since.

“We moved here thinking it would be a great place to have our careers and we ended up having our lives here,” Smith said.

Smith believes she is the best candidate for Senate because she has proven she has the capacity to work for Minnesota in the federal government. Smith noted another reason she has been successful in Senate was her work on the farm bill and working across the aisle to help Minnesota farmers.

“I think that these days it’s so important to work with one another and look for common ground,” Smith said.

Smith was appointed to her seat in Senate in January after former Senator Al Franken’s resignation and has served for seven months.

Smith believes the most important issue facing Minnesota is the cost of health care. In her time visiting Fergus Falls, she heard from many people that health-care costs had affected them along with lack of access to child care.

“I am very focused on health care and particularly the cost of health care,” Smith said. “People have talked a lot to me about health care and also child care and how important child care is to economic opportunities and family choices.”

Another important part of Smith’s platform is that of education and making sure all those looking to be educated can afford an education.

“I also think that a big big challenge is higher education, post-secondary education, whether somebody is interested in going to a four-year college or whether they want to pursue a career or technical training, they should be able to afford that,” Smith said.

Smith urged Fergus Falls, and all of Minnesota, to get out and vote this Tuesday in the primaries and she hopes they consider her the right choice.