Democratic candidate Catherine Krantz is running for U.S. representative, District 4.

She defeated Lander Bethel in the March Democratic primary election. Krantz will face Republican John Ratcliffe and Libertarian Ken Ashby in the Nov. 6 election.

Community Impact Newspaper sent Krantz a series of questions on her candidacy. Her written responses, edited for publication style, are below.

Q: Why did you decide to run for this office?

A: I am running for Congress because I think we can do better. Small towns in America are getting the short end of the stick. We are facing real challenges and we are so often overlooked and left out of the conversation. We are underfunded in almost everything: schools, roads, hospitals, and telecommunications. It is time to put people over politics and invest in our communities.

Q: What experience—professionally or politically—do you have that would prepare you for this position?

A: [I am] an award-winning international entrepreneur and publisher with 20 years of experience in economic development.

Q: If elected, what would be your top priorities?

A: The most important thing we can do is focus on making our communities prosperous. We need more jobs, more investment in infrastructure, more access to affordable health care and quality education. We don’t need more politics. We need representatives who can put aside their differences and get to work.

Q: What else do you want voters to know about you and your background?

A: I am a Democrat running for office in one of America’s most conservative Republican districts, but I can win because I know how frustrated we all are with low paying jobs, [the] high cost of health care, [and] lack of prosperity and opportunity in our communities. I know we have more in common with each other than with the career politicians who represent us and I know we all want what’s best for our communities.

More information about Krantz's campaign can be found at www.catherinekrantzforcongress.com.