Jon Olson is a naval veteran with 25 years of active service in the United States Navy. Currently he teaches national security courses at Metropolitan State University’s School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice and in the Department of Political Science at Carleton College. Public service remains an important value in Olson’s life, so he dedicates much of his time to volunteering for non-profits benefiting both veterans and his community at large; he has served as President of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association—Upper Midwest Chapter, and on the board of the Minnesota Council of the Navy League and well as chairing the board for the environmental non-profit Metro Blooms.
His father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s has placed health care as a pillar of his campaign. Stressing that healthcare is not a political issue, Olson is calling for affordable, high-quality healthcare that includes dental, vision, and mental health coverage. Additionally he is calling for investments in affordable education, sensible gun-laws, and protecting family farms with an eye toward shifting to more sustainable agriculture practices.
Jon Olson on the shift to electrification:
“People respond to incentives. I’d advocate on behalf of an incentive-based approach to guide the markets toward expanding the availability of electric charging stations all across Minnesota. I’d also place incentives on building owners to install solar panels. We SHOULD also consider establishing Minnesota as a clean energy tech hub, much like Silicon Valley, for developing and implementing clean energy options in our state. Let’s set the trends for America right here in Minnesota. If we can do it in the frigid state of Minnesota, the rest of the nation should be able to adopt the best technologies.”
