Update from Wadena, MN
united we stand
we stand with the rule of law
We cannot become numb
We are publicly calling for an end to Operation Metro Surge and ask Congress to appoint an independent agency to investigate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement training, tactics & hiring procedures. Operation Metro Surge is the current administration’s name for the statewide occupation of Minnesota by federal forces. Their own words have classified this as “retribution.” They claim the operation is a safety measure. To the contrary, our state has become less safe and as of now, two people are dead. We do not support any funding increases to ICE and would support funding cuts to the agency & an end to the Deportation Industrial Complex the current administration has created. There is a sense of fear that can be felt statewide – I have seen this fear across the district in my visits over the past several weeks – and that needs to end.
This weekend’s shooting came less than 24 hours after thousands of Minnesotans braved the brutal cold to peacefully demonstrate their 1st Amendment rights. On Saturday morning, 37 year old U.S. citizen and Minnesotan Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA, was shot & killed at close range, in the streets during broad daylight. Reports indicate he was properly licensed to carry a concealed firearm and multiple videos have emerged showing him being disarmed prior to being shot multiple times. Prior to being shot, it appears he was attempting to help a woman who had been shoved to the ground by an agent. Videos show both he and the woman were sprayed in the face with pepper spray by an agent. Perhaps this event will change some minds. We shall see. But one thing is certain: we cannot become numb to this.
Once again, we ask Minnesotans to look out for their neighbors, keep their loved ones close & to not be provoked. If you are looking for ways to help, we’d recommend getting connected with your local Indivisible group or checking out www.standwithminnesota.com for ways to support organizations across the state who are working tirelessly to help their neighbors.
Quote from Margaret Mead.
I got a newsletter last week that included this quote from Margaret Mead, a cultural anthropologist and author; “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; it’s the only thing that ever has.” While the horrible headlines we’ve been seeing – and the frequency of them – feel overwhelming right now, the solutions remain the same. Thoughtful, committed citizens are still capable of creating change.
We have entered a place in history where elderly United States citizens are handcuffed & brought out in the cold with nothing more than boxers & a blanket. We have entered a place in history where children are afraid to go to school and people are afraid to leave their houses. We have entered a place in history where American citizens are being killed by federal agents and the federal government is refusing to investigate the shootings using standard protocol.
We the people are the solution. We need to continue to organize & unite. We need to turn anger into a transformative force. We need to take care of our neighbor. We need to do our best.
We also need to give ourselves some grace. The human body wasn’t meant to consume digital information (or any information for that matter) at the rate we can. Take a break from the internet when you can. Connect with community face to face. Go outside & get some fresh air (if conditions allow). If you feel alone, reach out to this campaign on social media or via email at info@erikosberg4congress.com & we will do our best to connect with you.
Week in Review
This was one of the busiest weeks we’ve had in terms of campaign visits in a while – and that’s good cuz bein’ on the road headed to events is what gives me the fuel to keep on keepin’ on. By the time I got home Sunday night, I had put on over 1,000 miles on the campaign vehicle for the week and 641 miles from Friday-Sunday alone.
Our week started at the Madison Mercantile for the Lac qui Parle County DFL meeting. Over 50 people showed up that night. The evening began with the local DFL Chair reminding people we don’t have to change the world overnight, we just have to do the next right thing. Couldn’t agree more. The daily actions we take, when stacked up day after day, are what lead us to victory. Or to the change we seek. CD 7 Chair Jen Cronin was on hand and shared heartfelt stories of how immigration enforcement in the District is impacting the daily lives of our neighbors & loved ones. Senate District 15 Chair Al Kruse talked about the need for candidates to run in rural places at the state level. And talked about the importance of Precinct Caucuses coming up on Feb. 3rd.
Lac qui Parle Monthly DFL Meeting in Madison on Monday, Jan. 19th.
Thanks again to all who came to make it a special evening.
I spent last Thursday evening with 30 hardy Hubbard County DFL’ers in Park Rapids. There were lots of conversations about the upcoming Precinct Caucuses (Feb. 3rd), the rule of law, the Constitution, immigration, checks & balances, affordability, health care, agriculture, education & more. I appreciate everyone who braved the -26 temperatures to share what was on their hearts & minds. I also appreciate the questions/feedback I got after my presentation. A highlight of the was getting to see my childhood mentors Obie & Lynn Holmen as well as reconnecting with lots of folks we’ve met along the way. Some of these relationships go back as far as March 2025 when we first announced our campaign. One of my favorite comments of the night was this: “We all feel better when we all take action.” Amen to that.
Hubbard County DFL Monthly Meeting in Park Rapids on Thursday, Jan 22nd.
On Friday night, 30 folks again braved brutal below zero temps to break bread & create connections with their neighbors in Sibley County at Shady Lane Sportsmen’s Club just south of Glencoe. We’ve been looking forward to hosting another Community Fish Fry for awhile, but this was our first one in subzero temps. My portable fish house made a great outdoors galley and some buddy heaters kept our expert fish fryers nice and warm. Inside the conversations were lively. I told attendees my favorite part(s) of the evening, other than the yummy fish, were the conversations happening at the tables. Super grateful to Diane & Team for planning. Special thanks to Chris & Chad for arguably the best fish we’ve had so far. I felt at home as soon as I walked in the door & hope others felt that way too.
Sibley County commUNITY Fish Fry in rural Glencoe on Friday, Jan. 23rd.
Saturday night we were at the American Legion in Morris for the Stevens County DFL Chili Chowdown. Roughly 100 people packed into the room. The organizers began by describing it as “a cold & complicated night.” Many voices were heard. Many stories were told. A day filled with sorrow, anger & frustration ended with a little hope that we will endure.
Stevens County DFL Chili Chowdown in Morris on Saturday, Jan. 24th.
My message to the crowd was about the 5 stages of grief. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean you are “okay” with what has happened, but rather that you’ve reached a state of understanding and are adjusting to a new reality. I shared that there may be people in our lives who are ok with what is happening to our neighbors, and we might have to let those people go. We don’t need to close any doors, but for our own peace of mind we may have to accept the fact that there may never be an “ah-ha moment” that changes their mind.
I also shared a Martin Luther King, Jr., quote with those gathered in Morris that I’ve also shared on our campaign Facebook page: “It is not enough to be angry, the supreme task is to organize & unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.” This campaign remains committed to creating that transforming force to ensure we can do better.
Felt good to be home in Morrison County on Sunday, Jan. 25th.
Ended our weekend with a return to Morrison County Sunday afternoon. The Morrison County DFL hosted an event at the Royalton American Legion for folks to mingle, create community, and hear from some candidates. Wonderful to re-connect with friends we’ve made along the way. Got to meet some people for the 1st time too.
Roughly 45 people showed up, which is not too shabby in the reddest county in MN. The horrific events of Saturday morning were top of mind for most in attendance. Some talked about feeling isolated or alone. Some talked about being fearful for their friends. Others talked about how we aren’t sure how to act – is it ok to feel moments of joy right now? I’ve been told joy is a form of resistance, so I think yeah, it is ok to feel joy, especially if you mix in some peace.
My message to the crowd was that a frustrated team is divided, and a grateful team is united. This campaign has been on a quest to unite all 38 counties in MN’s 7th Congressional District for pert near 11 months. We believe standing up for the Constitution is a unifying issue. We believe liberty & justice for ALL is a unifying issue. We believe the rule of law is a unifying issue. We believe decency, empathy & humanity are unifying issues – or at least they should be. I also talked about the dangers of anger. Yes, anger is a natural response, I just don’t believe it is a winning strategy. Anger needs to be transformed into fuel to do the work that needs to be done.
Huge thanks to everyone who organized this gathering. Huge thanks to the American Legion for preparing the yummy wings (highly recommended). Huge thanks to our team members, Pia Lopez & Jim Read for helping table. Huge thanks to everyone for having the courage to be there.
I hope that you find moments of peace & joy this week. Keep up the good work.
Caucus Talk: the Sequel
Because you demanded it! Caucus Talk: the Sequel.
We held a caucus talk led by our caucus guru, Pia Lopez, and moderated by your favorite congressional candidate, Erik Osberg, on Jan. 14th. The response was excellent and we were able to help many people with their caucus questions. But the biggest question we received was from those who weren’t able to attend, and it was, “Can you do this again?” So, here we go. Caucus Talk part 2, where we’ll answer your caucus questions live online and let you know what to expect on caucus day, from arrival to departure. Join us Jan. 28th from 7:00pm – 8:00pm by registering here!
Join team Erik for Caucus Talk part 2 this Wednesday, Jan. 28th.
WE > ME part 5 – Lori Krenik
Last week we introduced you to our Campaign Manager, Andy Evenson, our Caucus Lead, Pia Lopez, our Data Lead, Aaron Voyles, and our Field Lead, Chris Radel. This week we’re introducing you to our Executive Assistant, Lori Krenik.
As we’ve said before, this campaign believes in leaning into our strengths. Lori’s top 5 strengths from the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment are: Harmony, Maximizer, Consistency, Responsibility, and Woo.
Team Erik’s Executive Assistant, Lori Krenik.
When Andy Evenson stepped into the role of Campaign Manager back in November, he knew one of the first things we needed to do was find someone to replace him as the Executive Assistant. Fortunately, it didn’t take him long to realize he knew the perfect person for the job, and even better – she didn’t hesitate to say yes!
Lori grew up in Hutchinson (McLeod County) and lived in Virginia from 1987 until 2018 when she moved back to Hutchinson. While she lived in Virginia, Lori was a very active volunteer for political campaigns at all levels of government, doing data entry, phone banking, canvassing, and fundraising. Her current day job is as a court reporter, and those skills come in handy with keeping the campaign calendar organized, responding to & forwarding messages that come through our “info” campaign email, and taking notes during our weekly team meetings.
Lori first met Erik in June 2025 at a meet-n-greet hosted by the Meeker-McLeod Indivisible group in Hutchinson. With her background working on so many campaigns in Virginia it’s not easy to impress her, but Erik’s authenticity won her over immediately. She was quick to say yes when Andy asked her to become part of the campaign because she believes Erik represents a much-needed breath of fresh air for the DFL in CD7 – a down-to-earth candidate who can connect with people of all backgrounds and has the communication skills to reach voters who will need to flip their votes in order to flip the district.
Lori’s local claim to fame is that she was crowned Miss Hutchinson 1986 at the city’s annual Water Carnival. In her free time she enjoys listening to live music, biking, reading, and trying new restaurants. Her favorite musician is “The Boss,” Bruce Springsteen, but if she had to choose a walk-up song it would be the anthem “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that song, these lyrics seem especially relevant to this particular time in our country: “My power’s turned on / Starting right now I’ll be strong / I’ll play my fight song / And I don’t really / If nobody else believes / ‘Cause I’ve still got / A lot of fight left in me.” This campaign’s got a lot of fight left too – grateful to have you on the team & fight alongside you, Lori.
Upcoming Visits
Hittin’ the road again this week. Here’s a preview of where we’re headed. Looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting some new ones. The best place to find info about each of these events is to go to our website and click the events tab or follow the links below for each event.
Makin’ the final push to the Feb. 3rd caucuses with a few more events this week.
Jan. 26th – Pope County Monthly DFL Meeting – Glenwood
Jan. 28th – Caucus Talk w/ Team Erik – Virtual
Jan. 29th – SMSU Young Dems meet-n-greet – Virtual
Jan. 29th – Polk County Community Fish Fry – Crookston
Feb. 3rd – Caucus for Erik – District wide
Actions You Can Take
Caucuses are coming!
We are just 8 days away from Precinct Caucuses, held Feb. 3rd from 7:00pm – 8:00pm. As a reminder, you can commit to caucus for our campaign here. After the precinct caucuses will come County/Senate District Conventions. Delegates will be chosen at those conventions to attend the 7th Congressional District Convention on April 25th. If you have questions about precinct caucuses or need a refresher on the information after you attend our Caucus Talk sessions, you can check out our website’s NEW caucus page! You’ll also find links to caucus-related forms & the Secretary of State’s caucus finder website.
Commit to Caucus for Erik here!
Invest in the change you seek
Our campaign is fueled by gratitude and grassroots organizing – and 100% of our donations are from individuals who have decided to invest in the change they want to see. If you have already donated – or even better, set up a recurring donation – THANK YOU! If you haven’t, please help us start the year right by making an investment today. If you would like to host a private party fundraiser, click here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/SKQtMANaY0W8nGqHcpukXA2
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