A St. Louis County commissioner seeking the Republican endorsement against U.S. Sen. Al Franken said he supports more local control in education than a “one-size-fits-all” approach from the federal government.

“The federal government shouldn’t be involved in local education,” said Chris Dahlberg, who stopped at Albert Lea’s Prairie Wind Coffee Saturday morning with about 10 local Republicans.

Dahlberg, one of a handful of candidates running for the Republican endorsement, was commended by first-grade teacher Peggy Bennett, running for the District 27A House of Representatives seat, presently held by Rep. Shannon Savick, DFL-Wells.

“I think you’re right on with education,” Bennett said.

She said she and other teachers are frustrated because they spend so much time filling out paperwork and getting students ready for tests that they don’t have time to teach.

“We’re going to lose good teachers,” she said.

Dahlberg, of Duluth, said another of the top issues he is running for is to reduce the $17 trillion national debt.

Dahlberg, who describes himself as a constitutional conservative, said that equals out to about $54,000 for each person in the country, even the nation’s children. He said children shouldn’t have to worry about this debt and how it may affect their future opportunities.

“Their world shouldn’t be about what the future is,” he said. “It should be about the present.”

He noted the country could reduce the deficit by addressing issues of waste, such as with governmental buildings that are underused.

He also talked about the Affordable Care Act and noted a single man in Moorhead should not have to pay increases in insurance premiums to cover conditions such as maternity that do not affect him.

Dahlberg previously served as a Duluth City Council member and on various other boards. He spent 25 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring as a major in 2013.

Dahlberg also had plans to stop in Owatonna, Rochester and Winona over the weekend.

He said he plans to abide by the endorsement later this month.