Stewart Mills (left) and Eric Johnson were both campaigning in Grand Marais during the Fisherman’s Picnic festivities. Mills is running against incumbent Rick Nolan for the Minnesota Eighth District, U.S. House of Representative seat. Johnson is the Republican challenger for the Minnesota District 3A Minnesota House of Representatives seat currently held by David Dill.
Stewart Mills learned early in life that if you complain about the food at hunting camp, you have to be the cook. That lesson learned at age 9 or 10 has stuck with him through today, he told the Cook County News-Herald in a visit on Thursday, July 31.
Mills was instrumental in the development and deployment of the Mills Fleet Company self-insured health plan which covered over 6,000 team members and their families. Mills said the plan was so successful that it was able to issue rebates to its members in its second year. The following year brought the federal Affordable Care Act, which undid much of the progress the Mills plan had made, he said.
This was the catalyst that began his outspoken opposition to the act and brought about his candidacy for the office of the Minnesota Eighth District, U. S. House of Representative position currently held by Rick Nolan.
Mills, who believes that health care reform should take place, also feels that a free market alternative would have been a much better option. He would like to see the current act repealed and replaced. Mills stated the motivation behind health care reform should be to bring down health care cost and increase access to care. He believes the present act ensures the exact opposite.
The father and stepfather of five children, Mills is a sixth generation resident of the Nisswa, Minnesota area. His father was an executive in the Mills Fleet Company while his mother was a schoolteacher.
The candidate also put forth that economic recovery should not be a matter of Washington or Wall Street on down. He asserted, “In the Eighth District, economic recovery is very main-street oriented and we have put a target on the backs of main-street business.” He says of his opposition, “You can’t be for jobs and against job creators.”
Mills, who has been involved with competitive shooting and is a life-time member of the National Rifle Association, also has been a strong advocate for adherence to the Constitution, including gun rights in the United States. He feels his position towards our Second Amendment rights is not so much politically motivated as philosophical. Mills said he was disappointed that Nolan proclaimed during his last campaign to be for gun rights and voted to ban some firearms and magazines shortly after taking office.
In addition to his stance on the Second Amendment, Mills feels strongly about freedom of religion, the due process of law and that government should reside with the states and individuals rather than the federal government.
Mills said he has no higher aspirations than the office he is currently seeking and plans on returning to work once his break for national service is completed.
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