DFL candidate stresses her background, experience in bid for atty. gen.’s seat


In preparation for Minnesota’s primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 14, attorney general candidate Debra Hilstrom is on the campaign trail and stopped in Pipestone on Tuesday, July 17.

Hilstrom is running for the seat currently occupied by Lori Swanson (DFL), who is currently running for governor with U.S. Representative Rick Nolan.
Prior to visiting Pipestone, Hilstrom made stops in Hutchinson, Granite Falls, Brainard, and Bemidji. Following Pipestone she had stops in Worthington, Jackson, New Ulm and North Mankato.
“I’m just talking to Minnesotans about the race and how I would like to represent them as the next attorney general,” she said.
Hilstrom is one of five Democrats running for the position: DFL U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison; DFL-endorsed attorney general candidate Matt Pelikan; Mike Rothman; and Tom Foley.
Hilstrom has been a Minnesota House Representative for the past 18 years in addition to working as a prosecutor for seven years with the Anoka County attorney’s office.
“I’m uniquely qualified because I’ve written the law and I’ve also defended it in court,” she said.
She has experience prosecuting cases of financial exploitation of adults and introducing laws for such issues. In 2009 she helped define what financial exploitation of adults in later life was and how to prosecute them.
“Working on these issues in the legislature I have consistently been an advocate for Minnesota consumers and so I want to represent Minnesotans as their lawyer,” she said.
Hilstrom’s inspiration for becoming involved in politics started when she accompanied her father to a Brooklyn Center City Council meeting and a council member outed her father as illiterate, something he had hidden from his daughter. This led Hilstrom to write a letter to the editor about the importance of treating each other with respect. People encouraged Hilstrom to run for city council and she was elected and spent six years on the Brooklyn Center City Council prior to being elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. While serving in the house, Hilstrom received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law.
“I’ve been working my entire time trying to make certain that people feel they have a voice that can be heard in their government,” she said. “That everyone, no matter what, has a place and that we should treat each other with respect.”
Some of the key issues for Hilstrom include the opioid crisis and holding pharmaceutical companies accountable, elder abuse and healthcare.
Pharmaceutical companies are currently being sued for colluding to raise prices on generic prescription drugs by raising prices at the same time, she said.
“Nobody should be too big that they’re above the law and nobody should be so small that they’re below its protection,” she said.
Hilstrom is endorsed by the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), Teamsters Joint Council 32, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Women Winning, Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters and Minnesota Police and Peace Officers.