A 1961 graduate of the University, Democrat incumbent Bruce Vento is trying to capture his 12th term in the U.S. House of Representatives this year.
With 22 years of experience under his belt, Vento is focusing his campaign on education, the environment and the federal budget.
Vento’s concern for education and the environment stem from his past career as a biology teacher. Because of his first-hand experience in the classroom, Vento is able to discuss and propose improvements for these issues with an insider’s perspective, his campaign staff said.
The continued increase of students pursuing higher education is of utmost concern to Vento. Because higher education prepares young people for the world, he aims to keep tuition costs down to provide more students with the opportunity to attend college.
In environmental issues, Vento specifically aims to protect the Boundary Waters and extend further efforts to keep the air and water clean. He also proposed preserving the country’s remaining wilderness areas.
Vento strives to appeal to University voters from the St. Paul campus, which falls within his district. His campaign staff said his key issues of concern are educational standards, protecting the environment and keeping the federal budget at a manageable level, parallel University voters’ own concerns.