House District 3A incumbent Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely) is up against DFL challenger Aaron Kania at the polls this November.
Skraba is running for a third term in the legislature, while Kania’s recent retirement from the Forest Service has allowed him the time to pursue candidacy.
The two candidates have worked to win the favor of voters in a geographically large, politically-challenging district spanning from liberal Grand Marais to conservative International Falls and everything in between.
Skraba emphasized his ability to work across the aisle, while Kania spoke about the importance of building connections with constituents and local leaders.
“I’m not promoting ‘Go Republicans.’ I’m saying if you want to solve the government’s problems, we need to work together. If we don’t, we’re not going to solve them,” Skraba said.
Skraba has pushed back against other Republicans who are opposed to policies that benefit the Northland, including bonding dollars. Skraba first ran for state office because he felt District 3A was not heard by metro politicians.
“When I got there, the DFL was very metro-concentrated. There were only a few Democrats left in Greater Minnesota, and they would throw them a bone every now and then,” Skraba said.
If elected, Kania aims to be a representative with a plan, one “based on what I’ve heard from people as their priorities, and as solutions offered by voters in the area and people who have a lot of experience.”
“We need to have a representative who is listening, trying to turn down the temperature on divisiveness, and being proactive in solving problems as opposed to reactive,” Kania said.
Skraba said his former role as Ely’s mayor helped prepare him for state government. Once elected as a representative, he said he faced the challenge of passing legislation as a Republican in a DFL trifecta.
“I really learned trial-byfire, so nothing surprises me anymore,” Skraba said.
Kania served as a law enforcement officer earlier in his career before recently retiring from his position as Kawishiwi District Ranger.
“That position involved me in pretty much all things that are important in Northern Minnesota from a natural resource perspective, timber and mining and wilderness and water and trails,” Kania said.
Skraba said industrial development could boost District 3A’s youth population by providing good-paying careers.
“We need jobs for these young people. Do you know how cool it would be for them to have a good-paying job, to canoe, hike, walk and have friends come up to visit them?” Skraba said. “We’re in the jewel. This is it.”
Skraba advocates for the hundreds of jobs that proposed mining projects could bring. Associated spin-off businesses would also boost the economy, Skraba said.
“If they can do the mining and it doesn’t hurt the Boundary Waters, go after it. Let’s get it done,” Skraba said.
Kania said he has had early conversations with DFL leadership about the importance of mining and “the desperate need we have for economic development.”
“Everybody agrees. Yes, we need economic development, and yes, we need clean water. It’s really the conversation about how we accomplish both of those,” Kania said.
Kania hopes to leverage his background in forest management to create new wood product industries. Kania suggested the development of a biomass-burning fuel plant that uses locally- sourced wood pellets to heat homes.
“Instead of relying on fossil fuels on the world market, we’re relying on renewable fuel that’s coming out of our forest, reducing our fire danger and taking our carbon footprint down,” Kania said.
A new UMD research report estimates the summer 2026 wildfires cost Ely and Grand Marais approximately $9 million, but Kania said the amount is only “the tip of the iceberg.”
“How do we be proactive again, manage our forests, work with our communities, so that a wildfire doesn’t become an economic catastrophe?” Kania said.
Skraba weighed in on fraud, which has emerged as a significant issue for many voters this election cycle.
“If you steal something and you get caught, and there’s no punishment, then why should I pay my taxes? If all my taxes are going so someone can steal it and there’s no consequence, then I’m not paying my taxes,” Skraba said of voter frustrations.
Skraba contributed to a bill establishing the Office of Inspector General to investigate fraud at the state level.
Skraba said unfunded mandates that emerged from the DFL trifecta contributed to tax increases, though he believes some policies, like a moderate amount of paid family leave, should remain.
Kania said he has heard concerns from voters about struggling rural healthcare services and rising healthcare expenses.
Kania said he has been crystal clear that he will fight to extend prescription drug price caps in order to avoid cost increases for Minnesotans.
The Minnesota House was evenly split with 67 Republicans and 67 DFL legislators until one Republican resigned last June. Voters will take to the polls to determine the majority party for the 2027 legislative session.
