Ian Todd isn’t your typical red state Democrat.

He’s not a centrist or a conservative. In fact, he’s a proud progressive, openly supporting Medicare-for-All, ICE abolition, and a 100% renewable energy economy.

He’s a first-time candidate inspired to run by the 2016 election, but it’s not the first time he’s thought about running. “It’s always been in the back of my head,” he said.

He’s a veteran, but his story isn’t black-and-white. As a geospatial intelligence analyst in the U.S. Air Force, he was granted a top-secret security clearance and learned the ins and outs of foreign policy, from international law to armed conflict to diplomatic relations. “That gave me a lot of insight into how we operate and how we can operate a lot better,” Todd told Millennial Politics.

Now, Todd wants to serve his county by representing Minnesota’s 6th congressional district in the House of Representatives. Held by the GOP since 2000 and once represented by Michelle Bachmann, MN-06 will not be easy to flip. FiveThirtyEight rates it the only solidly Republican congressional district in Minnesota this year, while the Cook Political Report gives it a Partisan Voting Index of R+12.

Ian Todd admits that flipping MN-06 blue will be challenging. But it’s not impossible. Given the special election margins we’ve seen since the 2016 election, MN-06 could be within striking distance for the Democratic Party.

Ian Todd joined us on the podcast to discuss his “pure policy campaign,” how his military service informs his foreign policy vision, why we should decriminalize sex work, and more. Listen on iTunes or in your browser below: