Ask former state Rep. Allen Quist why he’s running to become the next 1st District Congressman, and he’ll tell you he’s committed to balancing the U.S. budget.

Quist of St. Peter will face off against Sen. Mike Parry of Waseca in the Aug. 14 GOP primary. The winner of the primary will face off against incumbent 1st District House Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Mankato, in the general election.

Quist stopped by the Tribune Wednesday morning to share his campaign goals. It was his first stop of the day before heading to Owatonna, Caledonia and then Winona.

“We’re headed toward physical insolvency,” Quist said, noting that the United States is five years away from reaching the same level of debt as Greece.

He showed a chart illustrating the growth of the nation’s debt since the 1940s when it was virtually nonexistent to the current day where it has grown exponentially.

He said the government has grown three times faster than the median personal income since 1970, and he’s convinced “the reason why the economy has had such a feeble recovery is because there’s too much overhead.”

He noted to reduce the national debt, there needs to be cuts to spending, reductions of “corporate welfare,” and some tax reform. Specifically, the government needs to reduced by about a fourth. The country also has a problem with Medicaid fraud.

“We don’t think Walz is up to the task,” he said. “We need new people who are committed to balancing the budget.”

Quist, who calls himself a Reagan Republican, served four terms as a state representative in the 1980s and ran for the office of governor in 1994 and 1998.

He is a retired professor of political science at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato and now currently owns and operates an 800-acre farm in rural St. Peter with his son.

He said he thinks the federal government needs to limit how much is spent each year and should cut $200 billion each year during the next five years.

He also pointed out the importance of eliminating corporate welfare and said he does not think the Department of Education serves the country well.

“I think schools are best served with local control,” he said.

Quist is planning a town hall meeting for July 26 in Albert Lea. More details will be coming at a later date.