stˈændʒɛlənd sˈɜːvd ɔnðə bˈɑːɹnzvɪl, mˌɪnɪsˈoʊɾə skˈuːl bˈoːɹd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈaɪv ænd ðˈɛn æz ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə mˌɪnɪsˈoʊɾə hˈaʊs ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən bᵻfˌoːɹ bˌiːɪŋ ᵻlˈɛktᵻd tə ðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. hˈaʊs ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz æz ðə ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪv fɹʌm mˌɪnɪsˈoʊɾəz sˈɛvənθ kəŋɡɹˈɛʃənəl dˈɪstɹɪkt ɪn ɐ spˈɛʃəl ᵻlˈɛkʃən tə fˈɪl ðə vˈeɪkənsi kˈɔːzd baɪ ðə ɹˌɛzɪɡnˈeɪʃən ʌv ɹˈɑːbɚt bˈɜːɡlənd.
Stangeland served on the Barnesville, Minnesota school board (1966–1975)  and then as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (1976–1977) before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as the Representative from Minnesota's 7th congressional district in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Robert Bergland.