Update from Wadena, MN
around the world in 404 days (sorta)
Yet another milestone
One of the first events I presented at post launch was the 2025 DFL Senate District 15 Annual Convention. It was in Wood Lake on March 22, 2025. I met a ton of great people at that event, and many of them have become close friends. I met team member Dan P. there for the 1st time. Other folks I met at that visit included Al K., Anita G., Tim & Connie V., James, Mary, Lori, Kris, Tim, Phil, John, Mike, Jan, JJ, Doug – the list goes on.
On Saturday, I attended the 2026 SD 15 Convention/Fundraiser. This time we were in Redwood Falls. Once again, it didn’t dawn on me until I looked at the agenda that I had been there the year prior. Saturday’s convention consisted of lots of candidates and good conversations. It was great to connect with new people and re-connect with others.
We have now officially driven more miles than the circumference of the globe – 25,289 to be exact. We’ll be putting on more next weekend when we head to Granite Falls for the CD-7 DFL Convention, which is being held on April 25th from 1pm-5pm. Hoping to earn the endorsement & turn the page to the general election. Looking forward to seeing many of you there.
Fresh air & solitude
Fresh air & solitude are in short supply. If you have access to these, I highly recommend you enjoy them as much as you can. Getting outdoors is one of my “fixes” for when the world seems out of control. I made time last week to hang out with a friend and try to catch some walleyes. Doesn’t get much more Minnesotan than that. We headed to Lake Traverse which is a state border-water, so the season is open year round. As you can see from the photo, mission accomplished.
Erik getting his “fix” on Lake Traverse
We need to put protecting our resources above profit.
We need clean water.
We need clean air.
The Senate’s vote last week to end the mining ban in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area watershed was a tragedy not only for Minnesotans but for people all over the country who love the BWCA. We can do better than destroying our natural resources to benefit foreign corporations.
We need Congresspeople who value the land more than they value power or money. I pledge to be that kind of Representative and would support legislation that leaned on science to minimize environmental impacts.
The Great Equalizer
Click here for the link to play this video on the importance of education funding
Education is the great equalizer. We believe public investment equals public good. Furthermore, not only do we need the federal government to help fund K-12 & 4 year degrees, we need to fund technical & 2 year programs that create a pathway to careers and celebrate those outcomes as well.
WE > ME #14
Meet Jena Osberg, our Candidate Support Specialist, aka Erik’s wife. Jena’s top 5 strengths from the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment are: Consistency, Harmony, Discipline, Context, and Relator.
Jena Osberg Candidate Support Specialist
Jena grew up in Stewartville (Olmstead Co.) and currently lives in Wadena (Wadena Co.). She’s been integral in this campaign from before day 1, helping organize the campaign and initially acting as the primary campaign scheduler, but as the campaign team grew from the initial 5 people to 10 last fall to over 25 folks this spring, she has been able to step back from dedicated roles. Don’t let her current behind the scenes role & quiet demeanor fool you though – this is a woman who is a force of nature in her own right and has proven to be an effective surrogate for Erik & the campaign at events and organizing unit conventions this spring. Jena also brings invaluable expertise to our team as a 20 year Special Educator and Site Manager (principal) at a Level 4 Special Education program based out of Wadena that partners with 13 area school districts. On top of all of that, she’s mom to 3 pretty fantastic humans & has been married to Erik for almost 25 years – and you all saw the photo of him as a child with the bowl of spaghetti on his head so you know that’s no small feat!
A fun fact about Jena is she grew up on a farm and had many animals but her favorite was a sheep named Shadow – not only because it was black but because it literally followed them all over, including into the house. This summer is shaping up to be anything but typical for the Osberg family, but most summers you’d find Jena on the boat with Erik & their kids, with a book in hand instead of a fishing rod.
Beyond being married to the candidate, Jena’s primary reason for being involved in the campaign is her overall frustration with how the current administration is dismantling and destroying so much of what she loves about the United States, particularly as it relates to Education. We are grateful for everything you bring to the campaign, Jena – your intelligence, your insight, your infectious laugh, and your grounding sense of who Erik is at his core that helps keep this campaign pointed toward a common goal. None of this would be possible without you.
A Representative For Farmers
One of the main takeaways from our first Agriculture Advisory Committee Meeting last week was that our current congressperson is representing someone, but it sure isn’t the people of CD7 and it’s definitely not our farmers.
Click here to see the video
Gratitude Crew
CD7 Delegates – check your mailboxes cuz you just might have a postcard written by one of our over 450 volunteers. Team member Lori K. and this group from Hutchinson were busy last weekend sending out postcards to thank delegates for participating in the endorsement process and to remind them to attend the CD7 Convention in Granite Falls on April 25th.
Lori K. and friends addressing thank you cards in Hutchinson
If you haven’t signed up as a volunteer with the campaign and you’d like to get in on the postcard & thank you card writing fun, head on over to our website to sign up: https://www.erikosberg4congress.com/get-involved.
For the People, not Corporations
Vial of Spinraza medication
$125,000. That’s how much one dose of this medication costs.
A voter in CD7 whose child receives this medication gave this empty vial to me recently. Spinraza is a groundbreaking drug that treats Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which is similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) except it can occur in infants as well as adults. This medication is remarkably effective at slowing disease progression and helping affected children reach developmental milestones that would be impossible to achieve without it.
As this voter told me, one dose of this medication has a retail cost of around $125,000. The first year of treatment requires 6 doses, so that’s $750,000. But in order to be effective, you need to continue getting 3 doses EVERY YEAR – so the maintenance cost is $375,000 every year. If you have good insurance & they will cover this medication, the cost is dramatically lower. But if you don’t have insurance or you can’t afford the copay or if your insurance decides they won’t cover such an expensive medication – no matter how effective it is – then you’re just simply out of luck.
This is just one example of how our healthcare system is designed to benefit those who can afford treatment, rather than being designed to benefit everyone who needs it. We can do better than pharmaceutical corporations profiting exorbitantly from the bad luck of sick people, and we can do better than for-profit insurance corporations making final treatment decisions rather than the healthcare professionals who care for us.
The first step? Getting corporate money out of politics and giving power back to the people. I promise to be a representative for the people, not corporations.
Upcoming Events
After 405 days, thousands of calls, miles traveled, and in-person conversations, we are only 5 days away from the CD7 DFL Convention. Our team is hosting a virtual event leading up to the convention – see details below.
April 22 – CD7 Convention Conversation – Join Erik and the team for a virtual CD-7 convention conversation this Wednesday, April 22, from 7 to 8 PM to help prepare for the convention on Saturday, April 25. We will cover key convention details, including rules, agenda, and timeline. Register on Mobilize for more information: https://www.mobilize.us/erikosbergforcongress/event/941986/
April 25 – CD7 DFL Endorsing Convention – Prairie’s Edge Casino, Granite Falls. The convention gavels in at 1:00pm with registration before. There is a fundraising dinner and silent auction for CD7 that will immediately follow the convention. We are looking forward to seeing so many of you there. No matter the outcome, our team has enjoyed the process because the work is the reward.
Actions you can take
Join the Team!
To flip this seat and win in November, we’re going to need the largest field operation this district has ever seen. And to do that, we’re going to need to build a team that stretches from Warroad to Jasper and everywhere in between. That’s where you come in.
We plan to hold both in-person and online volunteer summits in May. It’ll be a chance to learn about ways you can be a part of this team. Whether it’s phonebanking, door knocking, addressing postcards, hosting a house party, supporting the campaign on social media, or something else altogether, there will be plenty of opportunities for all.
To date, we’ve had over 430 people sign up to be a part of this movement. You can sign up by clicking here, and you’ll be among the first to learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities and the May volunteer summits. We’re truly building the kind of team it’ll take to win in November. All that’s missing is you.
Invest in the change you seek
If you have already donated – or even better, set up a recurring donation – THANK YOU! If you haven’t, please help us reach our next target of $300k by making an investment today. If you prefer to send a check, our mailing address is: Erik Osberg for Congress, PO Box 550, Wadena, MN 56482. If you would like to host a private party fundraiser, click here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/SKQtMANaY0W8nGqHcpukXA2.
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