*** MEDIA ALERT***

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 30, 2021

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Jeff Brand seeks election in 2022
Brand seeks opportunity to build a better Minnesota

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Saint Peter – Jeff Brand is announcing his bid to challenge state representative Susan Akland in the 2022 election. “I am discouraged by the actions of current Representative Susan Akland. Within her first month of serving in office, she attended a Storm the Capitol Rally, signed onto a bill to restrict voting rights in Minnesota, and voted against a plan to lower prescription drug pricing in the Minnesota House of Representatives. I don’t believe these actions represent what southern Minnesotans want or deserve.”

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Brand lost his re-election bid to Susan Akland in 2020 by a narrow 108 votes. We're announcing my candidacy now in order to safely reconnect with voters in the district throughout the next 18 months.” The 2022 election is on Tuesday, November 8th.

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Brand was an effective first-term state representative who successfully worked with MNDOT to secure the final funds necessary to build four lanes of Highway 14 from Nicollet to New Ulm. He helped secure funding for grain bin safety by partnering with the family of Landon Gran in rural Nicollet County. Brand was also successful in the 2019 passage of Bailey's Bill (paramedic medicine bill), creating an opportunity for additional legislation for paramedics and EMTs to provide complex life-saving medications at the scene during emergency calls. While Brand was in the Legislature, he also delivered on capital investment funding for Caswell Park in North Mankato and for upgrades to the Saint Peter Regional Treatment Center. Brand said "approximately $45 million and 13 bills were signed by Governor Walz because of my hard work and determination in 2019 and 2020."

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Brand is a former Saint Peter City Councilmember (2012-2019). He was elected State Representative in 2018. He and his wife Genevieve operate Seed to Site, a local rain garden installation and nursery. She says, “My husband is a hard-working, compassionate, wise, and relentless champion of this District. In less than two years, we will again have the opportunity to choose the candidate who is willing to fight for us, is caring enough to stay up late, answer the calls, and dedicate to our needs.”

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Brand was the recipient of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) award for Legislator of the Year in 2019, followed by the Friend of the County Fairs award by the Minnesota Federation of County Fairs that same year. In 2020, he was awarded Legislator of Distinction – Economic Development for his work to secure funding for new childcare centers in Greater Minnesota.

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