we need better reimbursement. >> At the state Capitol.
With all the talk of political gridlock, it's
hard to remember a time when Wisconsin politics were less
partisan. But one Assembly Republican is trying to
recapture that feeling. Representative Dean Crawford
originally served from 1991 to 2014, but was recruited
to run again when the last round of redistricting made
his old seat much more competitive. Kaufert won
last fall by just 365 votes. Here and now, senior
political reporter Zach Schultz sat down with
Crawford this week to talk about what's changed and
what he hopes to accomplish. >> Well, representative,
thanks for meeting with us. What's it like to be back in
the state Capitol? >> Well, it's exciting. On
one hand, you know, I still tell people when they ask me
that question, I still get those good fuzzy feelings
driving down East Washington Street. You come into the
Capitol, and the Capitol comes into view as you're
driving, and there's still an electric feeling. And
then I know at that point I kind of went, you know, I
did the right thing by coming back because it's
still exciting to walk into this building.
>> Is it fair, though, to say that you wouldn't be
here today if the maps hadn't been redrawn to make
it a district where Republicans needed you to
run in order to win it? >> Yeah. I mean, this wasn't
in my wife and my plan to do this. I was happy being
semi-retired, owning, running a business.
>> Well, how did you did you get recruited? How did that
process happen? >> Some people talked to me.
Some of the leaders talked to me and asked if I would
have any interest. Numerous there's only one guy who can
win this. This seat. And it just got me thinking. And it
is important who's in charge here? You know, the majority
party has a lot more power, and I and, you know, the
second best job I had being mayor was being chair of
finance committee, because that taught me all about
government. And I loved government. I hate politics.
My entire years in the legislature, we were we were
responsible for our own fundraising. It was all
local. The most we spent was 39,000 bucks, I think was
the highest that I ever spent in my campaign. And,
you know, now it's millions of dollars. The Democrats
and their friends spent $3.8 million against me. Our
side, I think, spent 1.3 million job pays 57,000 a
year. It is crazy. But $3.8 million against you every
day. Getting your head pounded in every day. Both
parties. And, you know, Republicans and Democrats,
because I watched ads from both parties all over the
state. Lies, fabrications. It's just not good. And
there's nothing you can do about it. I mean, at night,
I mean, I'm not afraid to say my wife and I would go,
what the hell did we do this for? Because you'd come home
at night after watching the TV. You know, having, you
know, ten ads during a TV show that were just blatant
lies. And there's nothing you can do about it. It's no
fun. It's no fun for you. It's no fun for your family.
And then the hardest part is when you come, you get here
and then people say, are you going to be bipartisan? Can
can we work together? Well, you just spent three months,
four months telling people in my district what a bad
person I was. >> Compare and contrast how
the budget was done back in the 2000. Governor Doyle,
Democrat versus today. Governor Evers, a Democrat
with no Republican legislative majorities.
>> Yeah, that's a great question, especially in this
environment that we're in. And, you know, we were able
to do things together even back then when Jim Doyle was
governor. The Republicans had the legislature and I
was the chair, joint finance. There was a lot
more communication between the governor's office and
between the finance committee and the
legislative leaders. You know, I respect Governor
Evers, and I met with him after I came back here
because Governor Evers knows that I was one one of the
more moderate members of the Republican caucus. And you
got to be when the district that I represent is 45%
Republican, 55% Democrat. And so I represent the
district. And that communication just doesn't
seem to be there. And I told the governor, I said,
governor, you got to reach out. You got to extend that
olive branch. You're the governor.
>> So you are the chair of corrections. Is that
something you requested? Is there? Do you have a mission
in your in your second wind here?
Corrections is going to have some pretty heavy stuff this
time, so I requested it. And now, as it turns out, the
governor's in his budget. You know, it's a very
complex problem. And he has a solution that's going to
cost a lot of money. But, you know, at the end of the
day, closing green Bay, I'm touring it on Thursday
morning. I toured Waupan last week, and green Bay
needs to come down. So we need to figure out here's
another issue that Republicans and Democrats.
This shouldn't be political, but we should be able to
figure out a way how to make sure our inmates are safe
and our correctional officers are safe. So I'm
dedicated to doing that. >> Is it is it fun to have a
purpose where you can see something that may be a
little easier to get consensus on?
>> Yeah. And that's that's what I'm best at. You know,
I mean, is getting people together. I know that I'm
going to only be here 2 or 4 years, probably four. I'm
going to try for four, but I won't. I don't have an
agenda. I don't have to appease anybody. I can do
what Dean Crawford thinks is right, whether it's
Republican or Democrat. And I've been known to lead my
leave my party. But I will be with him 95% of the time.
But I also will chastise him when I think they're doing
something wrong. I will try to convince them to massage
it. I've already had some successes where I've said in
caucus, I've said, you know, your bill is okay, but this
needs to change. And you know, they respect me enough
to make that change and say, hey, we're okay with that.
It makes it better. And so I do have a purpose for a
couple of years or four years. And that's to try to
make this place better, try to make this place run
better. And see if we can't change the political
climate. I don't know if we're going to be able to,
because there's too darn much money involved in