% SHELLY MISSALL, THANKS FOR THE
% CALL AND FOR YOUR WORK.
% >> THANK YOU, THANKS FOR HAVING
% ME.
% >> TONIGHT WE BRING YOU THE
% SECOND OF TWO INTERVIEWS OF THE
% CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY OF
% STATE.
% LAST WEEK WE TALKED WITH
% DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT, SECRETARY
% DOUG LA FOLLETTE.
% NEXT WE HEAR FROM REPUBLICAN
% REPRESENTATIVE AMY LOUDENBECK OF
% CLINTON.
% FIRST ELECTED TO THE STATE
% ASSEMBLY IN 2010 AND SERVES AS
% VICE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE
% COMMITTEE.
% AMY LOUDENBECK, THANKS FOR BEING
% HERE.%>> THANKS FOR HAVING M
E.
% >> FIRST, WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE
% SECRETARY OF STATE?
% >> WELL, THE OFFICE CAN BE
% IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE IT'S
% BEEN NEGLECTED FOR TOO LONG.
% I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THE
% OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY RESTORE
% PURPOSE AND RESPECT TO AN OFFICE
% THAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL, DIRECTLY
% ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS AND I
% SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT
% OFFICE WORK AGAIN FOR THE
% PEOPLE.
% >> NOW, YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
% ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS TO
% THAT OFFICE.
% WHY?
% >> I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT AN
% ALTERNATIVE TO THE WISCONSIN
% ELECTION COMMISSION COULD
% INCLUDE A SECRETARY OF STATE.
% I'M SUPPORTIVE OF A NEW MODEL
% AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU LOOK
% AT WHAT OTHER STATES DO,
% SECRETARIES OF STATE ARE
% RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTAIN DUTIES
% AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH
% REGARDS TO ADMINISTERING
% ELECTIONS.%IT'S A MINISTERIAL
POSITION.
% I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR COMPLETE
% POWER OR CONTROL OVER ELECTIONS.
% I AM ADVOCATING FOR A NEW MODEL
% THAT UTILIZES THIS
% CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE IN ANY WAY
% THAT IT CAN ADD VALUE TO THAT
% ROLE.
% >> DOESN'T MOVING ELECTION
% ADMINISTRATION INTO THAT ELECTED
% OFFICE POLITICIZE THE FUNCTION,
% THOUGH?
% >> I'VE BEEN REALLY CLEAR AS
% I'VE BEEN CAMPAIGNING THAT I AM
% NOT TALKING ABOUT UNILATERAL
% POWER.
% I AM PROPOSING DUTIES AND
% RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE
% MINISTERIAL IN NATURE, THAT
% COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THAT
% OFFICE.
% LOCAL CLERKS IN WISCONSIN RUN
% ELECTIONS.
% WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS
% TRAINING OR GUIDANCE OR
% MAINTAINING THE VOTER ROLLS.
% DUTIES THAT, LIKE I SAID, ARE
% MINISTERIAL IN NATURE AND NOT
% DISCRETIONARY.
% >> HERE'S WHAT THE INCUMBENT
% CHALLENGER SAID LAST WEEK
% "TRUMPITE REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE
% COUNTRY ARE TRYING TO TAKE
% CONTROL OF SECRETARY OF STATE
% OFFICES SO THEY CAN MAYBE FIDDLE
% WITH THE ELECTION," HE SAID, "IN
% 2024."
% >> PERHAPS IT'S HAPPENING IN
% OTHER STATES WHERE SECRETARY OF
% STATE HAVE MORE POWER THAN HERE,
% BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE.
% I AM RUNNING BECAUSE DOUG LA
% FOLLETTE DOES NOT THINK THE
% OFFICE IS IMPORTANT AND I DO.
% WE DON'T HAVE A SECRETARY OF
% STATE THAT TAKES HIS JOB
% SERIOUSLY, I WILL.
% THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING.
% >> SO THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE
% ELECTIONS FUNCTIONS, I WOULD
% THINK, TO THE SECRETARY OF
% STATE'S OFFICE IS IF A
% REPUBLICAN IS ELECTED GOVERNOR.
% I ALSO SEE SPEAKER ROBIN VOSS
% HAS ENDORSED YOU.
% WOULD HE CEDE ANY KIND OF
% LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT OF
% ELECTIONS TO YOUR OFFICE SHOULD
% YOU BE ELECTED, HAVE YOU SPOKEN
% WITH HIM ABOUT THAT?
% >> HE HAS STATED HE IS NOT
% INTERESTING IN TRANSFERRING
% POWER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
% TO OVERSEE ELECTIONS, LIKE I
% SAID I'M TALKING ABOUT DUTIES
% AND I THINK MY RELATIONSHIP WITH
% THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE IS,
% AND THE DEMOCRATS IN THE
% LEGISLATURE, IS THE STRONG ONE
% AND IT'S ONE THAT IS BORNE ON
% MUTUAL RESPECT AND RESULTS.
% WHEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS,
% LET'S NOT FORGET WE HAVE THE
% OFFICE TO ADD VALUE TO THE
% PROCESS OF ELECTION OVERSIGHT
% AND ADMINISTRATION.
% THAT'S THE FIRST STEP, I THINK
% FOR A LONG CONVERSATION THAT IS
% GOING TO BE PART OF THE NEXT
% LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
% BUT AT A MINIMUM, IF ELECTED, MY
% GOAL WOULD BE TO MODERNIZE THE
% OFFICE, TO BE RESPONSIVE TO
% REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATION OF
% DOCUMENTS, TO BE A BILLION
% DOLLAR BOARD MEMBER FOR THE
% BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ABOUT
% PUBLIC LANDS AND ACTIVELY ENGAGE
% IN THE ROLE THAT CURRENTLY
% EXISTS FOR THE SECRETARY OF
% STATE THAT I SEE AS BEING
% NEGLECTED RIGHT NOW.
% >> WHAT WOULD YOU DESCRIBE AS
% YOUR BEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
% YOUR CAREER IN THE LEGISLATURE?
% >> WELL, OF THE OVER 50 BILLS
% THAT I HAVE HAD PASSED AND
% SIGNED INTO LAW SINCE I'VE BEEN
% IN OFFICE, IT'S DIFFICULT, YOU
% CAN'T REALLY CHOOSE AMONG YOUR
% CHILDREN.%BUT I'VE DONE A LO
T FOR PUBLIC
% SAFETY, I'VE DONE A LOT IN
% REGARDS TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND
% CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
% BEEN A REALLY DILIGENT MEMBER OF
% THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE TO
% PRIORITIZE OUR EXPENSES BUT ALSO
% BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND
% TURN A SURPLUS THAT OUR STATE
% HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
% WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE WE HAD A
% SIGNIFICANT DEFICIT, A LOT OF
% THINGS I CAN BE PROUD OF.
% >> WHY SHOULD VOTERS ELECT YOU
% OVER THE LONG TIME INCUMBENT?
% >> BECAUSE I THINK THIS JOB IS
% IMPORTANT, I WANT IT TO BE
% IMPORTANT, I DON'T THINK HE
% TAKES THIS ROLE SERIOUSLY, I
% THINK HE'S BECOME COMPLACENT AND
% I THINK HE'S BECOME ARROGANT AND
% I THINK WE DESERVE A SECRETARY
% OF STATE THAT HAS RESPECT FROM
% BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND I
% INTEND TO DO THAT AND DO THAT
% WELL AND WITH A CONSISTENT WORK
% ETHIC AND DIPLOMACY THAT THE JOB