The ‘Lifelong Republican’ Featured In Latest Angie Craig Ad Actually Votes As a Democrat
Man also can’t vote for Angie Craig—because he doesn’t live in her district
Rep. Angie Craig (Getty Images) Joseph Simonson • October 12, 2022 5:00 am
A Minnesota Democrat desperate to convince voters that she has cross-party appeal hopes enlisting a Republican who doesn’t live in her district and voted in the 2020 Democratic primary could help her case.
Rep. Angie Craig, who is facing a tough reelection race against Republican Tyler Kistner in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District, released an ad featuring a man who calls himself a Minnesota native and “lifelong Republican.” That man, David Vesledahl, bashes Kistner and praises Craig’s votes in Congress.
“When Dave called me to share his story, I promised him that I would continue to do everything in my power to lower prescription drug costs for Minnesotans,” Craig said in a statement. “Everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care—and I’ll be fighting back against the pharmaceutical companies every step of the way.”
But Vesledahl no longer lives in Craig’s district since Minnesota redrew its congressional map this year. He lives in Nerstrand, Minn., which is located in the state’s First Congressional District. Vesledahl’s claim that he’s a “lifelong Republican” is also contradicted by the fact that he voted in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, according to voter files obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Craig’s strategy is a familiar one to Democrats looking to ditch their party label amid President Joe Biden’s poor approval ratings and a shaky economy. In Ohio, Rep. Tim Ryan (D.) courted the support of a former Republican staffer who worked in the Obama administration and voted for Biden.
The Craig campaign acknowledged that Vesdehal lives in the neighboring second district, and therefore can’t vote for Craig. The campaign defended its characterization of his political affiliation, saying it’s how he “describes himself.”
“Dave describes himself as a lifelong Republican, and his voter file registers him as a ‘Lean Republican,’ Craig’s spokeswoman told the Free Beacon.
Although Craig’s district voted for Biden by 7 points in 2020, Craig only received 48.2 percent of
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