So Jason, tell me about what inspired you to run for this seat.

Well, a couple different things.

One, I had just retired from the army.

So I did 22 years in, I did nine active 13 years in the reserves.

I did both enlisted.

I did officer.

I was started out as a mechanic when I was 17 and then, uh, found myself not doing very well.

What are some of the things that you want to protect and make sure are thriving in terms of natural resources in Minnesota? Top of mind for

So Jason, tell me about what inspired you to run for this seat.

Well, a couple different things.

One, I had just retired from the army.

So I did 22 years in, I did nine active 13 years in the reserves.

I did both enlisted.

I did officer.

I was started out as a mechanic when I was 17 and then, uh, found myself not doing very well.

What are some of the things that you want to protect and make sure are thriving in terms of natural resources in Minnesota? Top of mind for

What exactly does that mean when you're writing laws rather than prosecuting cases per se?

Well, it really comes down to two different areas.

One is evidence and the other is results.

So from the evidence side, I can't just go into a courtroom and say, I really feel like this guy's guilty.

It's actually forbidden.

You can't talk about your feelings.

And it's been one of the hardest things from a political standpoint to talk about how I feel about things, as opposed to just talking about the evidence.

So where do you draw the line between punishment and prevention? We've actually interviewed Cedric Frazier and talked about this with him as well, because there is a room for compassion for people who have become rehabilitated, but there's also the need for accountability and for the punishment to fit the crime, correct?

And I don't mean to put words in your mouth, but how are you trying to use your background to bridge that gap?

Well, it comes from a place of nonpartisanship, right? So they want to understand that I'm not just some sort of party hack that's been sitting in the party for 20 years.

You know, my opponent's been working with the Republican Party for about 18, 16, 18 years now, even though he's only been a candidate for four.

But or six, excuse me.

But that like when I I joined the army when I was 17 and when I raised my right hand, nobody asked me what political party I was in.

When I was in Afghanistan and looking at working with people over there, nobody asked me, oh, are you a progressive? Are you a conservative? When I was working with my brothers in arms and sisters in arms, it wasn't a I never asked them, oh, hey, by the way, do you believe the same things I do when it comes to politics? Are you going to vote for the same person I'm going to vote for? You know, that is not part of the mindset.

You come in because you want to serve something greater.

What does that feel like for you, and how do you want to be able to defend the belief system that folks have got to be held accountable?