Democratic Senate candidate Katrina Christiansen addresses crowd at reproductive rights rally
Oct. 8—GRAND FORKS — Before a crowd in Grand Forks' Town Square, Katrina Christiansen, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2022 election, pledged her support for reproductive rights and urged her supporters to follow suit.
"I stand before you today with my soul on fire," said Christiansen. "I just ask that you continue to fight, that you show up and get loud."
Despite the event's focus on reproductive rights, Christiansen is far from a single-issue candidate. In an interview, she outlined her vision for North Dakota, a state she believes can be governed more efficiently.
"I am an engineer by trade, so I have received lots of training in how to maximize output from a process," said Christiansen. "I see these government shutdowns and gridlock as unnecessary, and hurting the state's residents."
Christiansen believes incumbent politicians are focused on pursuing what is politically expedient rather than effective, and do not understand the reality many rural North Dakotans face daily.
"As I campaign across the state, I've witnessed the desertification of rural communities," said Christiansen. "Access to mental health professionals is extremely sparse in rural North Dakota. Of the state's 53 counties, 24 do not have a single accredited mental health professional, and nine of them only have one provider."
Christiansen cited rising teacher and nursing shortages as additional challenges facing the state. She feels the effect on children is especially acute, and cited her own experiences as a mother of three.
"I really started to see a lack of school services when my son started kindergarten in 2021," said Christiansen. "Some of his classmates had special needs, and both the number of guidance counselors and their level of training is insufficient to meet these kids' needs."
As far as her campaign strategy is concerned, Christiansen plans on visiting tribal colleges and organizations such as the league of women's voters to garner support. She feels it is important for all communities in the state to be heard, and bemoaned the lack of support from North Dakota's current congressional delegation to Washington.
Democrat Jill Abahsain, who is running against incumbent Michelle Fischbach in Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, also addressed the crowd.
Following the candidates' speeches, attendees marched across the Sorlie bridge to East Grand Forks.
Christiansen's opponent, incumbent U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, has made a few stops in and around Grand Forks recently, including to announce a veterans flight program with UND and to recognize Larimore's school as a Blue Ribbon school.
