Doug Chapin

“Science should inform public policy, especially when decisions affect public health, the environment, agriculture, emerging technologies, national security, and our economy. If elected, I will seek input from scientists with relevant expertise, review credible peer-reviewed research, and listen to federal scientific agencies and independent experts before making decisions.

I also believe elected officials have a responsibility to distinguish scientific evidence from political preference. Science does not make every policy decision for us—Congress must also weigh costs, implementation, competing priorities, and the real-world effects on the people we represent. But we should begin with an honest understanding of the facts.

I have seen firsthand the importance of scientific research and strong federal research institutions, particularly through the NIH and the rare disease community. I will defend the independence and integrity of federal scientists and oppose efforts to suppress, distort, or politicize scientific findings.

Good government requires good information. I will seek out qualified experts, ask hard questions, examine the evidence, and then make the decision I believe best serves Minnesota and the country.”

KEYWORDS: Evidence -Expertise -Integrity

“The Boundary Waters is one of Minnesota’s greatest natural treasures, and I oppose sulfide-ore copper mining that puts this irreplaceable watershed at risk. I would have opposed H.J. Res. 140 and support restoring protections for the lands surrounding the Boundary Waters.

Minnesota has a proud mining tradition, and critical minerals are important to our economy and national security. But not every form of mining belongs in every location. The Boundary Waters watershed is uniquely interconnected, and contamination does not respect property lines or political boundaries. Once a pristine watershed is damaged, we cannot simply put it back together.

I support permanent federal protections against sulfide-ore mining in the Rainy River watershed surrounding the Boundary Waters, rigorous science-based environmental review, strong water-quality standards, meaningful Tribal consultation and protection of treaty rights.

We can support responsible mining, good-paying Minnesota jobs, and domestic mineral production while recognizing that some places are simply too valuable—and too vulnerable—to gamble with. The Boundary Waters should remain clean, wild, and accessible for generations to come.”

KEYWORDS: Conservation-Clean Water-Stewardship

“Every Minnesotan deserves confidence that the water coming from their tap is safe. PFAS contamination requires action at both ends: cleaning up existing pollution and preventing more forever chemicals from entering our water.

I support strong, science-based federal drinking-water standards for PFAS and increased federal funding to help communities test, treat, and remediate contaminated water without placing the financial burden on local taxpayers and ratepayers. I would also support holding manufacturers and polluters responsible for cleanup costs when they caused the contamination.

Minnesota is already leading through Amara’s Law, which phases out nonessential uses of PFAS. I support building on that approach nationally by reducing unnecessary PFAS use, requiring greater transparency from manufacturers, and investing in safer alternatives.

We also need continued monitoring of public water systems and private wells, federal investment in effective treatment technologies, and aggressive cleanup of known contamination sites.

PFAS pollution accumulated over decades and will not disappear overnight. Our goal must be straightforward: stop adding to the problem, clean up what we can, protect drinking water, and ensure polluters—not Minnesota families—bear responsibility for the contamination they caused.”

KEYWORDS: Prevention • Accountability • Public Health

“Data centers can bring investment, jobs, and technological infrastructure to Minnesota, but their enormous demands for electricity, water, and infrastructure require thoughtful oversight.

I support requiring hyperscale data centers to undergo comprehensive environmental and infrastructure review before approval, including projected water consumption, energy demand, grid capacity, backup generation, noise, and cumulative impacts on surrounding communities. Developers should demonstrate that adequate resources exist without jeopardizing drinking water, agricultural needs, or reliability for existing residents and businesses.

I strongly support Minnesota’s requirement that data centers pay the costs of the electrical infrastructure necessary to serve them rather than shifting those costs to residential ratepayers. I would also support greater transparency around water and energy consumption and incentives for water recycling, energy efficiency, renewable and carbon-free power, and reuse of waste heat.

AI and data infrastructure will be part of our economic future. Minnesota should welcome innovation, but communities should not subsidize private development through higher utility bills or depleted natural resources. Growth should be responsible, transparent, and beneficial to the communities hosting it.”

KEYWORDS: Accountability - Sustainability -Innovation

“Federal investment in scientific research is an investment in Minnesota’s economy, national competitiveness, and the health of our families. I strongly support robust, reliable funding for the NIH, NSF, CDC, and other federal research agencies.

Minnesota’s universities, health systems, researchers, and biotechnology companies have made our state a national leader in medical and scientific innovation. Federal research dollars support thousands of Minnesota jobs while producing discoveries that improve and save lives.

I am particularly committed to protecting NIH funding and strengthening research into rare and undiagnosed diseases. I have seen firsthand what federally supported research can mean to families searching for answers, treatments, and hope.

I will oppose politically motivated cuts or interference that undermine peer-reviewed research, disrupt promising studies, or drive talented scientists away from public service. I also support expanding partnerships among federal agencies, universities, research institutions, and responsible private-sector innovators.

America’s scientific leadership was built through sustained investment. We should strengthen it—not retreat from it.”

KEYWORDS: Research-Innovation-Investment

“Minnesota’s declining overdose deaths show that prevention and treatment efforts can work, but the enormous disparities affecting Indigenous and Black Minnesotans demand focused action.

I support treating substance use disorder as a public-health issue while aggressively pursuing those who traffic fentanyl and other deadly drugs. We need both approaches.

I support expanding access to naloxone, evidence-based treatment, medication-assisted treatment, mental-health services, recovery programs, and culturally responsive community-based care. Treatment must also be accessible in rural Minnesota, where distance and provider shortages can create significant barriers.

Federal opioid settlement and prevention dollars should be directed toward strategies demonstrated to reduce deaths, with particular attention to communities experiencing disproportionately high overdose rates. We should also strengthen overdose surveillance and culturally specific fatality reviews so resources follow the evidence.

Prevention matters as much as emergency response. That means addressing mental health, educating young people about fentanyl, supporting people in recovery, and reducing barriers to treatment.

Our goal should not simply be fewer overdose deaths. It should be helping more Minnesotans recover and rebuild their lives.”

KEYWORDS: Prevention-Treatment-Recovery