On this episode of Plain Talk, Zach Raknerud pointed out that many North Dakota Democrats are afraid to do interviews with me.

"I don't think that's right," he said.

Raknerud, who is the candidate North Dakota Democrats endorsed to challenge Republican Congressman Kelly Armstrong this cycle, made that point while arguing that he intends to offer North Dakotans a very distinct alternative to the incumbent.

A candidate who doesn't sound like past candidates.

Raknerud was critical of congressional Democrats for trying to insert issues like the minimum wage into coronavirus relief legislation. "We need to get relief to the American people now," he said, though he said Republicans, for their part, are a bit too focused on corporate bailouts.

During the interview, Raknerud also called for a universal basic income, a federal program paying for college tuition, and an expanded Social Security program that would provide things like maternity and sick leave.