Audio: NDGOP Senate Candidate Tom Campbell Calls Criticism of His Farming Subsidies a “Disingenuous Attack”

In his campaign marketing, which has been hot and heavy here in the early days of the 2018 election cycle, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Campbell describes himself as a “conservative farmer.”

Some have criticized that claim, pointing out that the candidate’s company, Tri Campbell Farms, has received a lot of money in subsidies from the government.

More than $1.8 million in subsidies, in fact, including more than $816,000 in commodity subsidies and $1.036 million in disaster subsidies according to the Environmental Working Group’s online database.

[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]”One thing I would change is you don’t need to belong to farm programs to get crop insurance,” he told me.[/mks_pullquote]

You can read a full report for Campbell’s company below.

The candidate was on my radio show yesterday, and I asked him about this criticism. He called it a “disingenuous attack” adding that “99 percent of all farmers follow the farm bill.”

Still, he said he sees the need for reform.

“One thing I would change is you don’t need to belong to farm programs to get crop insurance,” he told me.

As for his Democratic opponent in the general election, should he win the NDGOP’s nomination, Campbell says Heidi Heitkamp has been “talking out of both sides of her mouth.” He said “she sat back and did nothing” during the violent #NoDAPL protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

I also asked him about the announced retirements of Senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker, two Republicans who have been feuding with President Trump. Campbell’s campaign has made a point of saying the candidate will cooperate with Trump.

“They’re mistaken by not supporting him,” Campbell told me of the retirees.

Here’s the full show from yesterday. You can listen live from 12-2pm on 970 WDAY AM and 93.1 FM in the Fargo/Moorhead region or subscribe to the podcast.

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