ASHWIN MADIA (D-MN) FOR HOUSE

The race in Minnesota's Third Congressional District is one of the Democrats' best opportunities to win a seat held by various Republicans since 1958 due to the retirement of incumbent Representative Jim Ramstad (R).

The Democratic candidate is Ashwin Madia, a 30-year-old son of immigrants from India. While some law students take jobs on Wall Street, Madia became a JAG officer in the U.S. Marine Corps after his graduation from NYU Law School. Madia questioned the stampede to invade Iraq in 2003 – a process he felt was timed more for domestic political gains than threats to U.S. security. Madia switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in protest.

Notwithstanding his concerns about the timing of the war, Madia served in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006. Madia's experiences in Iraq convinced him that Iraq's problems can only be solved politically, not militarily. Madia advocates beginning a U.S. withdrawal on a responsible timeline to encourage a political solution between Iraq's warring parties.

Madia believes his background has given him a valuable perspective on U.S. foreign policy:

"As an Iraq veteran, an attorney and the son of immigrants, I have seen the incredible positive influence that the United States can play in the world when it supports freedom and democracy. However, I believe our nation is strongest not when we lead by our size and our military strength, but when we lead based on who we are and what we stand for."

Madia holds sensible positions on many national security issues, and is particularly sympathetic to Council for a Livable World's core goal of nuclear disarmament:

"The national security threats we face today are far different from the bygone era of the Cold War. Today, there is a far greater threat posed to us by non-state terrorists or by a rogue nation with minimal nuclear capabilities. There is no longer any strategic purpose in maintaining thousands of nuclear weapons. We simply need an effective nuclear deterrent against extreme regimes, such as Iran or North Korea. If elected to Congress, I would support multilateral and verifiable efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles in the hopes of achieving the disarmament dreams of leaders like President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev through the vision expressed by Messrs. Kissinger, Shultz, Nunn and Perry."

Madia opposes funding for new nuclear weapons beyond what is essential to effectively maintain our existing deterrent capabilities. He also opposes funding for any national missile defense beyond the Clinton Administration's limited missile defense strategy, designed to defend against attacks from small numbers of long-range ballistic missiles launched by extreme regimes or accidental launches.

He supports expanded funding for nuclear non-proliferation efforts and removing nuclear weapons from hair trigger alert.

Madia's Republican opponent is Erik Paulsen, a conservative state Representative. Paulsen is attempting to paint Madia as a liberal who is out of touch with voters in the district. However, Madia's positions are actually closer than Paulsen's to those of the retiring moderate Ramstad, who voted against the Iraq surge and has a centrist record on social issues.