((PKG)) CLIMBING THE HILL -- (R) PETE STAUBER
((Banner: Climbing the Hill -- Republican))
((Reporter: Carolyn Presutti))
((Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Additional Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Drone: Marcus Harton))
((Producer: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Map: Duluth, Minnesota))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I was born and raised in Duluth Minnesota. Duluth is blue collar
workers, just like the rest of Minnesota. “Minnesota nice.” It sits
on the western edge of that greatest freshwater lake in the world,
Lake Superior. That's where our recreation happens. That's
where our shipping takes place. That's where our fishing…it's just
beautiful.
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My family has always been in community service. I ran because I
wanted to bring that common sense conservative values to
Congress. The greatest generation gave us a wonderful
country. It's incumbent upon my generation now, to make sure
that we leave this United States in better shape to our kids and
grandkids, so they have a prosperous and a free future.
((NATS
Stauber: It’s the greatest fresh water lake in the world right there,
Lake Superior.
Jodi: Pizza!
Addilyn: You look so good, Isaac.
Jodi: Best night ever.
Stauber: You know with the four kids, my wife and I, I mean we
enjoy it. It’s organized chaos.
Jodi: You’re done eating already?
Levi: Yeah.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Levi, our oldest son is 19. He's playing junior hockey at Michigan
Tech University in Houghton, Michigan. Our second oldest son is
Luke. He'll just be graduating this spring and he wants to go into
aviation and be a pilot. And then, of course, our 16 year old son
Isaac. He's the light of our lives. He’s an unexpected
blessing. He's our child with Down syndrome. And then our
daughter Addilyn is 12 years old.
((NATS
Jodi: Isaac, it’s your favorite, isn’t it. Pizza.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My wife has a passion for serving as well. She served in the
military at Duluth’s 148th fighter wing. She's also an Iraq war
veteran. I'm so grateful for her support in allowing me to
serve. Without her 100 percent committed support, I would not be
here.
((NATS
Jodi: Okay, about 12 minutes, maybe do 11, because that looks
pretty well cooked.))
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
Isn't it crazy? It's been, like, two years now since, maybe a little
over two years since we started the conversation about running
for Congress.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
We went to Washington to meet with some members of Congress
to see if, you know, what it's like, and can your marriage
survive? Can you still be the parents that we want to be, serving
as a member of Congress?
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
One of the concerns I had, when we first started talking about this
was, how are we going to maintain our family life and stay close
with the kids and each other? It takes a lot of juggling and it's a
complicated situation, with working in the district when you're
home and working in Washington. We've never had a 9-to-5
family. Shift work has been part of our life with both of our
careers at times.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
It's not easy. We always talk about in the military, when the, you
know, the individual service members serve, so does his or her
family. In this case, it's the same. As I serve as a member of
Congress, you, by extension are serving also. But I remember,
when we decided that we were having the conversation and you
looked at me and you said, ‘I'm not sure I signed up for this when
I married you.’
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
That's right.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
But if you don't have your spouse, if I don't have your 100 percent
committed support, it's not going to happen, you know. And I also
talked about this cannot interrupt our marriage or me being a
father. If it interrupts those two, then it's not worth it.
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
I think it would have been, it would have been a challenge for me
to continue working because we have a son with special needs,
and the bottom line is, you know, he needs extra care and extra
attention and cannot be left on his own. So, it's really a huge
blessing that I have been able to focus on our home and our
family and our marriage and be able to feel like I can provide that
stability for all of us.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
And you do, yeah.
((Location: PolyMet Mining, Hoyt Lakes, Minnesotta))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
In Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, mining is our past, our
present and our future. We've been mining for 150-some
years. We talk about the Iron Range in Minnesota. That's where
the iron ore was mined to make the steel. It helped us win World
War II. Close to 70 percent of the steel that's made in this country
is mined by Minnesota's Iron Range. So, we're very proud in
Minnesota when it comes to steel making.
((NATS))
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
The last, you know, weeks of the Obama administration, you
know, they said, "No more", you know, "mine exploration in the
Superior National Forest.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS))
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
Trump comes in, pro-industry, announced, you know, sitting next
to different mining executives, “Let's reopen the Superior National
Forest in that area to mineral exploration. Let's not hold back.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
So together, we can unleash the economic engine in northern
Minnesota.
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
And I think, Trump, kind of, mirrored that with, “Let’s do it.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS
Stauber: Thank you, Mr. President.))
((Brady Slater, Duluth News Tribune))
The visit, to me, was a pretty galvanizing moment for Stauber. It
showed all of the Trump supporters that Pete was their guy.
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune; Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS:
Stauber: Thank you. God bless America.))
((Location: Enchanted Dairy, Little Falls, Minnesota))
((NATS
Ron Miller: They have a family back at home and they need a
better life for them. They’re just hardworking folks.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
In Minnesota's 8th District, the western and the southern part are
mostly farms.
((NATS
Ron Miller: They go from that little calf to those big, you know, in
just two months.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Farmers, they feed us, not only locally, they feed this nation and
they feed the world.
((NATS
Ron Miller: I don’t know if you can read Spanish but that means
feed once a day.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I understand the stresses that they have every single day. And I
want to make sure that, in Congress, we legislate to benefit and
help our farmers, not burden them.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
One of the, our concerns is hiring people and the importance of
the Hispanic worker and trying to get an immigration policy that
works. The present system obviously is broke, and I think there’s
a real opportunity.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
The whole campaign, what I've been hearing since, you know, I
was elected, the ability to bring workers in, to work at farms, you
know, that want to work.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
Amen.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Because the workforce, we're short right now.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
Yes.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Not only here in Minnesota, but across the nation, we’re hearing
that in all the committee hearings. We're into workforce
development and training people, you know…..
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I support legal immigration. Our country was built on legal
immigration and legal immigrants still enhance this country
today. Some of our farmers and some of our seasonal
businesses in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, the resort
owners, they're looking for those migrant workers to help out
because they're short of workforce.
((NATS
Ron Miller: So appreciate that you did come and took the time
for us.
Stauber: Oh, absolutely.))
((Location: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
When I was sworn in, it was just amazing. I’ve been blessed in
my life to do a lot of neat things. Being a member of Congress is
something that is just surreal. It goes to show you that, in this
country, that we can do wonderful things.
((NATS: Swearing in party, Stauber’s new DC office
Stauber: This is my daughter Addilyn. Congressman Mueller.
Mueller: And you can whip all of them, right?))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My big goal is to make sure that legislation that we put forth,
number one, is bipartisan and moves the country forward. I'm
hoping for a really, really good infrastructure bill that brings our
roads and bridges up to safe standards they need.
((NATS: Stauber’s new DC office
Man: Do you know how proud I am of you?))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I want to make sure that rural broadband is implemented
throughout this country. I want to sure that our military has what
they need. I want to make sure that Medicare and Social Security
are solvent for many generations. And I want to make sure that
our special needs population has a voice at the table, always. I'm
an open-minded person. I'm talking to a lot of people on both
sides of the aisle.
((NATS
Man: I represent the rail workers.
Stauber: Oh yes.
Man: I am from North Dakota.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I am going to attribute it to Gov. John Kasich out of Ohio when he
said, “The Republican Party is my vehicle, it is not my master.”
And I follow that because I serve everybody. At least I try to
serve everybody.
((NATS))
((Banner: Climbing the Hill -- Republican))
((Reporter: Carolyn Presutti))
((Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Additional Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Drone: Marcus Harton))
((Producer: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Map: Duluth, Minnesota))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I was born and raised in Duluth Minnesota. Duluth is blue collar
workers, just like the rest of Minnesota. “Minnesota nice.” It sits
on the western edge of that greatest freshwater lake in the world,
Lake Superior. That's where our recreation happens. That's
where our shipping takes place. That's where our fishing…it's just
beautiful.
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My family has always been in community service. I ran because I
wanted to bring that common sense conservative values to
Congress. The greatest generation gave us a wonderful
country. It's incumbent upon my generation now, to make sure
that we leave this United States in better shape to our kids and
grandkids, so they have a prosperous and a free future.
((NATS
Stauber: It’s the greatest fresh water lake in the world right there,
Lake Superior.
Jodi: Pizza!
Addilyn: You look so good, Isaac.
Jodi: Best night ever.
Stauber: You know with the four kids, my wife and I, I mean we
enjoy it. It’s organized chaos.
Jodi: You’re done eating already?
Levi: Yeah.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Levi, our oldest son is 19. He's playing junior hockey at Michigan
Tech University in Houghton, Michigan. Our second oldest son is
Luke. He'll just be graduating this spring and he wants to go into
aviation and be a pilot. And then, of course, our 16 year old son
Isaac. He's the light of our lives. He’s an unexpected
blessing. He's our child with Down syndrome. And then our
daughter Addilyn is 12 years old.
((NATS
Jodi: Isaac, it’s your favorite, isn’t it. Pizza.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My wife has a passion for serving as well. She served in the
military at Duluth’s 148th fighter wing. She's also an Iraq war
veteran. I'm so grateful for her support in allowing me to
serve. Without her 100 percent committed support, I would not be
here.
((NATS
Jodi: Okay, about 12 minutes, maybe do 11, because that looks
pretty well cooked.))
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
Isn't it crazy? It's been, like, two years now since, maybe a little
over two years since we started the conversation about running
for Congress.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
We went to Washington to meet with some members of Congress
to see if, you know, what it's like, and can your marriage
survive? Can you still be the parents that we want to be, serving
as a member of Congress?
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
One of the concerns I had, when we first started talking about this
was, how are we going to maintain our family life and stay close
with the kids and each other? It takes a lot of juggling and it's a
complicated situation, with working in the district when you're
home and working in Washington. We've never had a 9-to-5
family. Shift work has been part of our life with both of our
careers at times.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
It's not easy. We always talk about in the military, when the, you
know, the individual service members serve, so does his or her
family. In this case, it's the same. As I serve as a member of
Congress, you, by extension are serving also. But I remember,
when we decided that we were having the conversation and you
looked at me and you said, ‘I'm not sure I signed up for this when
I married you.’
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
That's right.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
But if you don't have your spouse, if I don't have your 100 percent
committed support, it's not going to happen, you know. And I also
talked about this cannot interrupt our marriage or me being a
father. If it interrupts those two, then it's not worth it.
((Jodi Stauber, Spouse))
I think it would have been, it would have been a challenge for me
to continue working because we have a son with special needs,
and the bottom line is, you know, he needs extra care and extra
attention and cannot be left on his own. So, it's really a huge
blessing that I have been able to focus on our home and our
family and our marriage and be able to feel like I can provide that
stability for all of us.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
And you do, yeah.
((Location: PolyMet Mining, Hoyt Lakes, Minnesotta))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
In Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, mining is our past, our
present and our future. We've been mining for 150-some
years. We talk about the Iron Range in Minnesota. That's where
the iron ore was mined to make the steel. It helped us win World
War II. Close to 70 percent of the steel that's made in this country
is mined by Minnesota's Iron Range. So, we're very proud in
Minnesota when it comes to steel making.
((NATS))
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
The last, you know, weeks of the Obama administration, you
know, they said, "No more", you know, "mine exploration in the
Superior National Forest.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS))
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
Trump comes in, pro-industry, announced, you know, sitting next
to different mining executives, “Let's reopen the Superior National
Forest in that area to mineral exploration. Let's not hold back.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
So together, we can unleash the economic engine in northern
Minnesota.
((Jimmy Lovrien, Duluth News Tribune))
And I think, Trump, kind of, mirrored that with, “Let’s do it.”
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune, Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS
Stauber: Thank you, Mr. President.))
((Brady Slater, Duluth News Tribune))
The visit, to me, was a pretty galvanizing moment for Stauber. It
showed all of the Trump supporters that Pete was their guy.
((Courtesy: Duluth News Tribune; Clint Austin, Adelle
Whitefoot))
((NATS:
Stauber: Thank you. God bless America.))
((Location: Enchanted Dairy, Little Falls, Minnesota))
((NATS
Ron Miller: They have a family back at home and they need a
better life for them. They’re just hardworking folks.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
In Minnesota's 8th District, the western and the southern part are
mostly farms.
((NATS
Ron Miller: They go from that little calf to those big, you know, in
just two months.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Farmers, they feed us, not only locally, they feed this nation and
they feed the world.
((NATS
Ron Miller: I don’t know if you can read Spanish but that means
feed once a day.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I understand the stresses that they have every single day. And I
want to make sure that, in Congress, we legislate to benefit and
help our farmers, not burden them.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
One of the, our concerns is hiring people and the importance of
the Hispanic worker and trying to get an immigration policy that
works. The present system obviously is broke, and I think there’s
a real opportunity.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
The whole campaign, what I've been hearing since, you know, I
was elected, the ability to bring workers in, to work at farms, you
know, that want to work.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
Amen.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Because the workforce, we're short right now.
((Ron Miller, Owner, Enchanted Dairy))
Yes.
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
Not only here in Minnesota, but across the nation, we’re hearing
that in all the committee hearings. We're into workforce
development and training people, you know…..
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I support legal immigration. Our country was built on legal
immigration and legal immigrants still enhance this country
today. Some of our farmers and some of our seasonal
businesses in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, the resort
owners, they're looking for those migrant workers to help out
because they're short of workforce.
((NATS
Ron Miller: So appreciate that you did come and took the time
for us.
Stauber: Oh, absolutely.))
((Location: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
When I was sworn in, it was just amazing. I’ve been blessed in
my life to do a lot of neat things. Being a member of Congress is
something that is just surreal. It goes to show you that, in this
country, that we can do wonderful things.
((NATS: Swearing in party, Stauber’s new DC office
Stauber: This is my daughter Addilyn. Congressman Mueller.
Mueller: And you can whip all of them, right?))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
My big goal is to make sure that legislation that we put forth,
number one, is bipartisan and moves the country forward. I'm
hoping for a really, really good infrastructure bill that brings our
roads and bridges up to safe standards they need.
((NATS: Stauber’s new DC office
Man: Do you know how proud I am of you?))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I want to make sure that rural broadband is implemented
throughout this country. I want to sure that our military has what
they need. I want to make sure that Medicare and Social Security
are solvent for many generations. And I want to make sure that
our special needs population has a voice at the table, always. I'm
an open-minded person. I'm talking to a lot of people on both
sides of the aisle.
((NATS
Man: I represent the rail workers.
Stauber: Oh yes.
Man: I am from North Dakota.))
((Congressman Pete Stauber, Republican - Minnesota))
I am going to attribute it to Gov. John Kasich out of Ohio when he
said, “The Republican Party is my vehicle, it is not my master.”
And I follow that because I serve everybody. At least I try to
serve everybody.
((NATS))
