Schneider Hits Armstrong on Tariffs, Health Care in Debate

The Dem-NPL candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives stresses independent leadership and championing kitchen-table issues

(BISMARCK, ND) — Tonight, viewers who tuned into the debate between Mac Schneider and Kelly Armstrong were presented with two different visions of what it means to be North Dakota’s sole voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. While Mac Schneider emphasized independent leadership and North Dakota first policies, Kelly Armstrong made it clear he will be just another rubber stamp politician.

While North Dakota’s farmers are already feeling the squeeze from the ongoing trade war and are worried about finding markets to sell their crops in after harvest, Armstrong continued to defend the misguided policy that is hurting agricultural producers. By contrast, Schneider has been consistent in defending North Dakota’s farmers and calling for an end to the tit-for-tat tariff battle that has led to falling commodity prices, market destabilization, and an uncertain future for many family farms.

Additionally, Schneider and Armstrong disagreed over protections for North Dakotans’ health care. Schneider has been outspoken in his defense of keeping protections for those with pre-existing conditions and ensuring North Dakotans who gained coverage through expanded Medicaid will have access to high-quality health care. Armstrong, on the other hand, is in favor of gutting current health care law in order to score political points with D.C. Republicans.

“North Dakotans need an independent voice in the U.S. House of Representatives to stand up for farmers against the trade war, defend their access to affordable health care, and fight on behalf of working families. Tonight’s debate has made that clear: Mac Schneider should be that voice,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Mac has shown leadership on the kitchen-table issues that North Dakotans care about and he will continue to stand up for his home state in Washington.”