Dan Mitchell

Dan Mitchell served in the U.S. Air Force from 1988 to 2008. He earned a high school diploma from Pequot Lakes High School and a bachelor's degree from Bellevue University in 2013.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Cass County and I spent K-12 at the Pequot Lakes school district while growing up on a small hobby farm, just west of Pequot Lakes. My parents, Mary & Randy Ryan are working class Americans, who both worked for the Pequot Lakes school district. My dad, a former Jar head and law enforcement officer, was the school transportation director before he “retired” to drive school bus for many more years. My mother was a driver for special needs students, and she absolutely loved her job. They taught many lessons about serving others, being dependable and the importance of thinking for yourself.

After graduating from High School and longing for adventure, I chose to join the US Air Force. The best decision of my life! I was trained as a computer-communication specialist. In 1988 no one could have guessed how this career field would evolve over the next years. I was fortunate to live and be stationed and serve in 35 different countries.

While serving in our US Air Force, I had the honor of meeting brilliant service members and people from all over the world. Access to diversity of ideas and beliefs is the greatest gift my travels have provided.

Post retirement I moved into a 20-year career as a cyber security engineer mostly for the Department of Defense.

I am a father of 2 sons and husband to an incredible wife, Catherine. We currently live on a small homestead in Cass County.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Enable small family farms and food to table operations: To reduce our dependency on long supply chains, we will support local farms via tourism industry (restaurants to buy local, pick your own produce operations, etc.) protecting local jobs and ease food insecurity. We will fight to keep the industries that made rural Minnesota great.Affordable and accessible housing- develop incentives for families who are looking to build a home. We will look relax state and local codes for accessory dwellings so that parents or grandparents may help their children to build on shared land. Incentivize multi-family units or multi generation homes. By increasing and incentivizing affordable options we will help ease the housing supply crisis in greater Minnesota.Protecting our water, air and soil and investing in green energy, not only to protect the environment, but also to strengthen our national security through self-reliance. The time has come to ensure this country is no longer being held hostage by cartels, despots, and corporate interest. USA is resource rich and it is time for the average American and not corporations to benefit financially from this fact.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a Cyber Security professional data privacy and digital rights is an area that needs to be addressed to defend future generations from online exploitation from corporate and political interests. Artificial intelligence and large-scale data collection have grown faster than our laws and we need to catch up. The lack of fact checking and false content on social media is not only aggravating but flat out dangerous.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Many politicians, someone who puts the people first(all people) defends with facts.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leadership, honesty, and integrity

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

People over politics

What legacy would you like to leave?

I was honest, transparent, accountable, and worked my ass off.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I work at a resort restaurant as a bus boy, waiter, and Bar tender. 5 fun years!

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Balancing national politics with state priorities. Also being able voice rural priorities over a loud and driven metro agenda.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, be able to find ways to serve the people of any diverse population will require compromise.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I have faint memories of water gate. Mostly through the eyes of the adults in my life at the time. Boy, does that seem tame by today's standards.