Jan. 13—EAST GRAND FORKS — As Deb Kiel plans to steps away from office, a familiar face in local politics hopes to take her spot in the Legislature.
East Grand Forks Mayor Steve Gander announced Saturday that he will not run for reelection as mayor and instead will focus on a bid to gain the District 1B seat in the state House of Representatives.
Gander made the announcement Saturday afternoon in a release sent to the media.
“For over a decade, Rep. Kiel dedicated herself to the cause of bringing our values and priorities to St. Paul,” Gander said in the release. “The work she has done and the progress she made for families, agriculture, fiscal accountability, education and personal responsibility are worth preserving and building upon. If elected, it will be my goal to do exactly that, according to the preferences of the people I will serve.”
In a follow-up interview with the Herald shortly after his announcement, he said serving on a statewide level has been on his mind “for probably 40 years,” but the time commitment hasn’t been easy to overcome. He is a longtime optometrist in East Grand Forks.
“I look at the work Deb has done and (Sen. Mark Johnson),” Gander told the Herald. “They are really good servants for this district. The hope is I will be able to carry on the tradition.”
During last year’s session, Kiel — a Republican from Crookston — suffered a minor stroke and spent time back at her home in recovery.
District 1 has two House districts — 1B in the south, and 1A in the north. Rep. John Burkel, R-Badger, serves as the House representative in 1B. Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, is the district’s senator.
Gander was first elected mayor in 2017 after serving on the East Grand Forks City Council. He also has been chairman of the East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce, president of the Minnesota Optometric Association and a member of his church council.
He is an East Grand Forks native who attended UND and the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 1987. He and his wife, Rosalynd, have two grown sons.
He statement Saturday said he looks forward to “learning more about priorities and opportunities while meeting folks throughout the district.” He said he believes an elected official is supposed to serve the people, “not the other way around.”
His priorities are “public health and safety, education, public infrastructure, including roads and bridges, elimination of excessive regulation that stagnates business growth, elimination of wasteful spending and its associated excessive taxation, and strengthening public recreation areas.”
He said he is a “strong proponent of Second Amendment rights.”
Kiel is entering her 14th year in the Legislature, and will complete her seventh term. She told the Herald Saturday afternoon that health concerns led to her decision. Along with the stroke she suffered last March, she suffered another in July, and she said her husband has had some health issues, too.
“It’s time for me to let someone else run,” she said.
In addition, she said, “I really believe that we need to make sure people have opportunities to step up and serve in the role of representing us in St. Paul,” she said. “I think it’s really healthy to have the general public step up. And with Steve willing to run, he has some good background for understanding what needs to happen in St. Paul.”
She said she is “honored to have been able to serve all of these years.”
Gander said serving on a local level has been fulfilling, and “the thought of not being mayor anymore does not sit well with me.” He plans to finish out his term.
He said he is proud of a number of initiatives during his time as mayor, including efforts to appreciate and promote public safety, to renovate infrastructure, and to improve recreational opportunities and facilities.
“And probably a top goal was to make sure that everybody knew our city government works for them,” he said, adding that “everything we do is in the daylight.”
Among his top goals, if elected, would be to create processes that promote business throughout Minnesota. As an example, he noted the recent saga that saw Epitome — an ag production company — opt to move its proposed soybean crush plant from a planned location near Crookston and instead set up in Grand Forks due to regulatory hurdles.
Gander called it a “regulatory nightmare” and said “I would love to see that streamlined.”
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
