Update from Wadena, MN
rest, don’t quit
Nothing like a good campfire to tend to at the Tiny Cabin.
Not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I struggle to relax. I struggle to sit still. What I’m working on is making time to “rest.” I was able to take a 48 hour retreat to our Tiny Cabin last week. It was a welcomed change of pace. Give me some wood to split, and a campfire to tend & I’m pretty content. I enjoyed watching the snow fall in the woods & cooking over an open fire. In a world that is trying to become the Jetsons, I’m a little more Jeremiah Johnson.
We are back at it full go this week. We have an event scheduled for Wednesday evening in Madison. We will be in New York Mills Thursday & Fergus Falls on Friday. And of course we have 2 more DFL County Conventions on Saturday, April 11th. Which will mean all 36 county conventions will be behind us. We believe we are in a good position to earn the DFL endorsement on April 25th at the CD7 Convention.
Farmers Need a Voice in DC
Farmers need stable, predictable, and dare we say boring policy. They don’t need more chaos from the current administration and crickets from our current congressperson. Farmers need a voice in DC, and I believe we can do better. Check out the video we shared on our YouTube page.
Click here to access the full video on YouTube.
Farmers across CD7 are getting ready to plant their spring crops. We see the planters and field cultivators pulled up to sheds as we’re out driving around. But working the ground and pulling the planter is going to be a lot more expensive this year. Farm tractors can burn 10-30 gallons of fuel per hour, depending on how much they’re pulling. Truckers and construction companies face the same problem.
The cost of diesel fuel is 51% higher than it was a year ago, due in large part to the reckless actions of the current administration in the Middle East. Those higher prices will cost our farmers up to an additional $55 dollars per hour in fuel, per machine. Putting 40 hours on the tractor could cost $2200 more this year than it did last year.
Over the whole season that really starts to add up. Especially when chaotic tariff policies have destroyed our export markets.
Our current congressperson isn’t standing up for rural communities and treats constituents as afterthoughts.
Our campaign shows up in every corner and county of CD7. Farmers will be a priority not only when we’re writing Ag policy like a new farm bill, but also when we’re considering any decisions that impact global markets and a farmer’s bottom line.
Once elected, if you have questions, or concerns, or need to yell at me, I’ll keep showing up. That’s my track record and my pledge. Hard work. Integrity. Empathy. And a promise to show up, listen, and fight for your livelihood.
My experience
One of Erik’s awards for civic duties.
I’ve lived in Wadena, MN for over 20 years. Over that time, I did my best to be as civically engaged as a father of 3 can be. Here is a list of some of my positions:
- Wadena Chamber of Commerce Board – (past President)
- Immanuel Lutheran Church Board
- Co-founder & volunteer head coach of WDC HS Fishing Team 2019-2024
- WDC Volunteer youth coach (basketball/baseball)
- WDC Volunteer varsity coach (football)
- WDC Jr. High Football coach – paid position
- Board member of American Heroes Outdoors TV
After a tornado ripped through our town in 2010, my then boss suggested we should do something about all the trees that were lost. I joined some other concerned citizens and we made it our mission to plant 10,000 trees in Wadena. We formed a group called “Trees for Wadena.” We raised funds, organized, and did in fact plant thousands of trees on a cold/rainy day the following April. Many of those trees are providing shade to this day.
The moral of the story is I know what it means to serve the greater good & I know what it is to put the interests of others above my own – characteristics we desperately need in Washington D.C.
Courage is Contagious
Click here to view this video on YouTube.
We announced our campaign 391 days ago. We are forever grateful for everyone who has joined us in our quest to unite Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District and flip this seat. Here is the full video on our YouTube page.
Upcoming Events
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.
Upcoming campaign visits. Learn more by clicking the links below or going to our website.
April 8- Lac qui Parle Co. delegate meet-up– Madison
April 9- Otter Tail Co. delegate meet-up– New York Mills
April 10- Otter Tail Co. meet-n-greet- Fergus Falls
April 11- Otter Tail Co. Convention – Battle Lake
April 11- Lac qui Parle Co. Convention – Dawson
April 19- CD7 Virtual Forum- registration link here
April 25- CD7 Endorsing Convention – Granite Falls
WE > ME #13
Meet Alissa Evenson, our Comms Lead. Alissa’s top 5 strengths from the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment are: Harmony, Consistency, Learner, Deliberative, and Relator.
Meet Alissa Evenson, our Comms Lead.
Alissa grew up in Fairfax (Renville Co.) and currently lives in rural Hutchinson (Meeker Co.) with her husband, Andy (our campaign manager), 2 daughters, 3 cats, and 2 dogs. Alissa first met Erik last June at meet-n-greets she & Andy organized for the Indivisible group they started. Those events were some of the best organized we’d seen at that point in the campaign, and we knew we had to get both Alissa & Andy on board to help in whatever way they could. Not only does Alissa’s current work as a doctor bring value & expertise to the campaign, but her previous work experience in marketing made her a natural fit for the Comms Lead role. It’s a big job – social media, website, newsletter, swag, & more – but she’s got a team of 5+ volunteers helping out with these projects which makes it easier. That’s been one of the biggest benefits of starting this campaign as early as we did – connecting the blue dots across CD7 and finding folks with the energy & transferable skills needed to help us flip this district.
Alissa was inspired to become part of the campaign because of Erik’s authenticity, his ability to connect with voters, his positive outlook, and the vision he had for flipping this district. When she’s not busy working her day job and doing campaign work, she enjoys camping, hiking, and family movie nights with her kids & Andy. A fun fact about Alissa is that she interned for Mark Dayton in DC when he was a US Senator back in 2004.
Before meeting Erik last summer, she made a sign for a demonstration that said “2026 Goals: Throw the Fischbach” – you may have seen it in one of our photos from last weekend. With Erik, she believes we have a real opportunity to make that goal a reality on Nov. 3rd – exactly 7 months from today. Humbled by the vote of confidence and grateful to have you on the team, Alissa.
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 403 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.
Please share our Path to Victory Video
