PRATT PLAYBOOK
Residents want everyday purchases to be affordable, bad actors to be held accountable, and for their reps to lead with common sense. The President is not popular, so all messaging should be focused on local politics and needs.
AFFORDABILITY:
Housing: Lower the Cost of Building a Home:
Housing costs rise when it takes too long and costs too much to build. Eric will work to streamline federal permitting, expand the American supply of building materials, and encourage more young people to pursue good-paying careers in the skilled trades. Increasing supply and reducing unnecessary barriers can help bring housing costs down and keep more money in families’ pockets.
Social Security: Protect the Promise. Strengthen the Future.
Eric believes seniors who paid into Social Security should receive the benefits they earned and keep more of that money. He supports eliminating the federal income tax on Social Security benefits and increasing the taxable income cap to help strengthen the program.
But we need to be honest. The social security program is not sustainable under the current qualifications. For younger generations, Eric supports giving workers a choice. Those who remain in Social Security should understand that, as Americans live and work longer, the full retirement age may need to gradually increase. Younger workers should also have the option to opt out and take responsibility for building their own retirement through options such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and other tax-advantaged investments. We need to support all options for Americans to take control of their investment opportunities, not just one government-controlled option.
Child Tax Credit: Put More Money Back in Families’ Pockets
Eric believes families should be able to keep more of what they earn. In the Minnesota Senate, he authored legislation creating a $3,000 refundable child tax credit for young children and has continued supporting efforts to expand child tax relief. MN Revisor's Office. In Congress, Eric would support expanding the federal Child Tax Credit to provide up to $3,000 per child for families who need the help most, giving parents more breathing room for groceries, childcare, housing, and the everyday costs of raising a family.
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Jobs: Build a Pro-Growth Economy
Eric believes good-paying jobs are built by growing the economy, not growing government. He supports policies that encourage innovation and investment here in the United States, expand reliable and affordable domestic energy, and prepare American workers for the jobs of tomorrow.
That means strengthening career and technical education, apprenticeships, and workforce training so more people can build successful careers right here at home. The goal is a pro-growth economy that creates opportunity, raises wages, and keeps America competitive.
Eric is proud to be endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), as well as union (like the MN Pipe Fitters) and non-union employers representing thousands of small businesses and hard-working employees across the state.
Agriculture: Support Farmers. Keep Food Affordable.
Eric believes keeping food affordable starts with keeping Minnesota agriculture strong. Farmers face many of the same rising costs as families—from energy and equipment to labor and transportation. Eric supports reliable and affordable energy, fair trade, strong infrastructure, and practical federal policies that give farmers and agricultural businesses the certainty they need to invest, grow, and plan for the next generation.
Eric is proud to have earned the endorsement of the Minnesota Farm Bureau PAC and will make sure farmers, producers, and rural communities have a strong voice in Washington. Agriculture is more than an industry—it supports families, small businesses, communities, and a way of life that has shaped Minnesota for generations.
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Healthcare: Lower Costs. Protect Choice.
Eric believes healthcare reform should focus on bending the cost curve and making coverage more affordable without taking choices away from patients and families. If someone likes the insurance they receive through their employer, they should be able to keep it. Eric does not support replacing private and employer-sponsored coverage with a single government-run healthcare system.
Instead, he supports practical reforms that increase competition, improve transparency, reduce unnecessary administrative costs, and address the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) so patients can better understand what they are paying and more of the savings negotiated in the prescription-drug system can benefit them.
Eric’s goal is clear: lower healthcare costs, make healthcare more transparent, and offer more choices, not fewer.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Program Integrity: Stop Fraud Before the Money Is Gone
Eric spent more than 30 years in banking and finance, including leadership roles at Target and U.S. Bank, where he worked in risk management and fraud prevention.
In Congress, Eric would bring that same prevention-first mindset to government by creating an independent Office of Program Integrity focused on identifying fraud, waste, abuse, and weak controls before losses reach billions of dollars. Like a fraud-prevention team at a major financial institution, it would use audits, data analysis, and cross-agency information to flag problems early and protect taxpayer dollars.
The goal is simple: Build the guardrails before the money is gone.
Make Sure Help Reaches the People Who Need It the Most
Federal programs only work when the rules are followed. Eric supports stronger accountability for states that administer federal dollars, including clear eligibility standards, regular oversight, and swift correction when safeguards fail.
When states ignore established rules, taxpayers lose confidence and people who genuinely need assistance can be pushed aside. In Congress, Eric will work to make sure states are accountable for how federal dollars are spent so help reaches the people it was intended to serve.
Stronger Penalties: Make Fraud Cost More Than It Pays
Fraud against federal programs steals from taxpayers and from the people those programs are meant to help. Eric supports stronger penalties for individuals and organizations that knowingly defraud the government, especially in cases involving large-scale or repeat offenses.
Families are tired of “rules for thee but not for me”. They work hard and want assurance that everyone is held to the same standards they follow every day. Accountability should be clear: if you deliberately steal taxpayer dollars, the consequences should be serious enough to deter the next person from trying.
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Common Sense Representation: Accessible, Accountable, and Focused on CD2
Eric’s dad always said “you’d think common sense would be more common”. Eric has taken that and is working toward what he calls Minnesota Common Sense. Here’s what that looks like:
Eric believes representation starts with listening. In Congress, he will stay connected to the people of the Second District through regular community meetings and Chat With Pratt events, giving families, businesses, local leaders, and community organizations a seat at the table.
Every stakeholder deserves to be heard, and Eric will remain accessible and responsive to the needs of the district. His guiding question will remain simple: “What is best for Minnesota families?”
Government should work for the people it serves, not political agendas, special interests, or the insiders who benefit from a broken system. Eric will bring common sense, accountability, and practical problem-solving to Congress while never forgetting how he was raised or who he works for: the families and communities of Minnesota’s Second District.
SAFER COMMUNITIES:
Work Together to Keep Communities Safe
Public safety works best when law enforcement agencies communicate and cooperate. Eric supports stronger coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement so information is shared, resources are used effectively, and dangerous individuals do not fall through the cracks because agencies are working in silos.
Give Communities and Officers the Resources to Stay Safe
Safe communities require both strong law enforcement and the resources necessary to prevent crime, respond to emergencies, and protect the people who answer the call.
Eric will work to ensure departments have the tools, training, technology, and resources they need to keep residents and officers safe. The Second District is home to a significant law-enforcement community, making public safety especially personal to many families here.
Eric’s priority is straightforward: families should feel safe in their communities, and the men and women protecting them should make it home safely to their families every night. He’s proud to have the endorsement of the Minnesota Police & Peace Officers Association because of these strong policy stances.
School Safety: Establish a Common Standard for Protecting Our Children
Parents should be able to send their children to school knowing reasonable safety measures are in place. Just as we establish basic standards to protect students from fires and other emergencies, Eric supports developing clear federal school-safety standards to help schools prepare for and respond to threats.
Those standards should focus on practical safeguards, emergency planning, communication, and coordination with local first responders while giving communities flexibility in how they meet them. Every child, teacher, and staff member deserves a safe place to learn and work.