WEBVTT

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Pressure. Do not drive or use machinery until vision has recovered after an eye injection or exam.

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With eye survey, I'm taking action to slow my GA and seeing him out there means everything to me.

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Ask your retina specialist how you could help preserve your vision longer with eye survey.

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We're going to learn more about where four of the candidates stand on the issues to help you make an informed decision this August.

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Whoever wins the primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the November election.

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Let's meet the candidates from left to right. We have Nina Baum, Kevin Hermanning, Michael Alfonso and Jesse Evan.

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We'll hear opening statements in just a moment, but let's get acquainted to the rules.

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Candidates will have 90 seconds to answer each question. When a rebuttal is necessary, the candidate will be given 30 seconds.

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No one has been given the questions in advance. Let's start with opening statements, Mr Alfonso, your first.

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The Democratic Socialists of America just celebrated a milestone, 120,000 members.

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The same day that we celebrated 250 years of independence.

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Their candidates have also seen massive success all across the country, including right here in Wisconsin with the leading candidate for governor Francesca Hong.

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Let's call this what it is. This isn't socialism. This is communism. And I know a little something about communism.

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My grandparents came to this country from Cuba. I grew up hearing exactly what happens when these ideas are implemented, equitable suffering for everyone.

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Can we blame them though? For years of a disastrous Biden economy, we can't. We need to recommit ourselves to the Trump agenda here.

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Energy independence, cutting spending, to shrink inflation, banning asset management companies from buying single family homes.

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We need to stop the spread of Marxism, and that's why President Trump chose to endorse me.

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Thank you, Mr Alfonso, Mr. Hermaning, your opening statement.

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Thank you to WJFW and to the viewers of the Seventh Congressional District.

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My name is Kevin Hermaning, and I'm running for Congress because we are ready crossroads in a very serious moment in our nation's history.

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We need a representative in Congress who will be an experienced leader tested and ready on day one.

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When I was a young Marine, I was taken hostage by Iranian terrorists and held prisoner for 444 days.

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I watched as one of my roommates Bill Keoh told me that when we get out of there, he wanted me to make sure that I returned to Wisconsin to make sure that I built a life of relevance.

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And I've done all of those things in the next 90 minutes, I will share with you why I believe that I am the best suited person to represent you in Congress.

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Now to Ms. Baum, your opening statement.

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I'm a proud Rhinelander resident and the only candidate who has spent nearly their entire life in this district.

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I grew up on a dairy farm here. I went to college here. I started a business here.

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I co-founded Northwoods Young Professionals to help keep young workers up in the area.

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I have brought half a million dollars in economic impact to Oneida County through the different events that I have planned.

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I serve on the Rotary Board and I serve on my town's planning commission.

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I have also pledged to not take any corporate PAC money because I want to make sure that our representatives and the people we vote for are representing us, not special interests, not any corporations,

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no mega donors. So you will know exactly where my loyalties lie and it is to the people in this district and nobody else.

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And Mrs. Evan, your opening statement.

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I'm Jesse Evan. I am a Christian conservative, a Trump Republican and a proud seventh generation Wisconsinite who's committed to getting the government off our back and out of our way of life.

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I live in Stanley in Shipwood County with my husband and our son, and we're just a few miles down the road from the original Evan family farm that's been there for nearly 100 years now.

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I've worked the majority of my career in the private sector. I worked in rural healthcare, setting up clinics and small towns.

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I now work for a manufacturer. My job is to battle over burdensome regulation.

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I've had success in doing so, saving thousands of domestic manufacturing jobs right here in our state.

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And this experience that I will be prepared to go to Congress to defend our values and our way of life of standing up for life.

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I'm pro life, making sure our rights are not infringed upon, including our Second Amendment, that we make sure that our farmland is not covered by solar panels or windmills, that we de-list the Great Wolf,

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that we make sure we secure our southern border, deport violent criminal illegal aliens and stand with law enforcement.

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And it's an honor in this race to be backed by law enforcement and shares from throughout the district.

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Our first question will go to Ms. Bomb first. Wisconsin's seventh congressional district is the state's largest.

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We have medium and small cities plus plenty of towns and rural areas to the candidates. What is at least one concrete action you would take in Congress to improve the lives of people in the seventh.

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Ms. Bomb, you will go first.

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I would support a moratorium on AI data centers coming into our state of Wisconsin.

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There's no regulation around them and they impact us in so many different ways.

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They impact our natural resources, our water, our utility bills.

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And recently, our phone prices are going to be impacted coming up here as well because of the demand for memory chips from AI data centers.

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So now phone companies have to pay more to get those chips to meet to get the demand for those chips over these data centers.

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So they're not just going to affect our utility prices and our resources.

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They're going to affect other everyday prices across this district and for all the people.

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So I will definitely be working on a moratorium until we can properly regulate and assess the impact of AI data centers in this district and in this country.

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And most recently, actually, I had someone who reached out to me who was a neighbor of mine growing up and they live in Phillips now and they were just approached about their land being bought for an AI data center.

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That is happening in this district already.

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Thank you.

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Mrs. Evan, one action you would take in Congress to help your constituents.

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Well, this is where I have this strength of being the only candidate who has worked in manufacturing and has worked specifically on deregulation, which is getting the government out.

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All of this costly red tape that it's an invisible cost for so many businesses.

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And it is the reason that so many small businesses in large have left this district from Price County, losing Caterpillar to Osceola, losing Polaris to Russ County, losing the manufacturer out of Hawkins.

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And we've seen what happens when our small towns lose manufacturers.

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And what happens is it's not just job numbers we're losing.

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These are people.

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These are livelihoods.

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These are families that now have a decision to make is if they stay locally and seek under employment or if they move elsewhere to find work and keep a roof above the head of their family.

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And oftentimes, they have to choose to leave.

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We need to make sure that the government is not the barrier for businesses staying here.

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And when we have strong manufacturing in this district, we have strong livelihoods.

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Our small businesses on our main streets succeed.

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Our schools do better.

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And when we lose them, all these things go away.

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Our small businesses suffer.

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The local grocery store goes away.

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The school suffer.

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We lose kids.

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We lose families.

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And drugs come into town.

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And unfortunately, we've seen this time and again.

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So good policy matters.

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Having a strong manufacturing and working specifically on deregulation, repealing the costly red tape, which is aligned with President Trump's agenda.

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That's exactly what I'll do for the people here in the 7th congressional district.

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Mr. Alfonso, same question one action you would take.

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We need to make sure that rural funding earmarked for our rural communities actually gets there.

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Did you know that Dane County in Madison qualifies for rural grants under the federal law?

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We need to work to give it back to the states.

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Federal bureaucrats do not know what rural is.

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New Jersey rural is something different than Wisconsin rural.

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And overall, our founding fathers never envisioned such a grotesque monster of a federal government.

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So one of my number one priorities in office will be shrinking the size and scope of the federal government.

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The states know better how to spend the money than DC bureaucrats.

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And finally, Mr. Hermaning, one action you would take in Congress.

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Well, I think I know something about financial insanity because every day as my role as a financial planner,

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I help my customers, families, small business owners, farmers and loggers try to figure out how they can afford an uncertain and more expensive future every day.

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The cost of government, the cost of regulation, the cost of hiring, employees, all of the compliance rules that go along with most business operations make it very difficult to get ahead.

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Both as an employee and as an employer.

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Just today, I met with a customer who was very concerned about how they might transfer their family farm to their children, to their son, their oldest son and to one of his siblings.

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And they're not sure that they're going to be able to do that because of the costs involved in that.

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So my goal is to focus on financial sanity in dealing with tax and regulation and making it easier for people in central and northern Wisconsin to live and to stay and raise their families.

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We're going to move on to some individualized questions now.

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We start with Mr. Alfonso.

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Some people have questioned if you have the experience needed to excel in Congress.

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So I'm just going to lay it all out here.

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You're 26.

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You would likely be the first member of Congress born this century.

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You're the son-in-law of former Congressman Sean Duffy and currently live in his house.

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Do you have the experience to excel in Congress?

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You know, experience has always been a question on this campaign.

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And let me ask you, did Nick Shirley have experience?

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Did he find $12 billion worth of fraud?

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He was only a young man in his 20s.

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Young people are capable of so much.

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In a culture where we seek to make young people infantilized, I look to making young people stand up and actually take the spots that they need to.

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The older generation has already won the battle with communism.

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They fought very hard.

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But I will tell you what, my generation is falling for those very same lies.

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And I look forward to in office working every single day to stop the spread of violent Marxism, which is what got my friend Charlie Kirk murdered.

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I want to follow up on that.

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You posted in March, Mr. Alfonso, that you're an accountant for your parishion Hayward.

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I searched the state's database of your accounts and accountants, but I don't see your name listed.

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Are you still an accountant for that church?

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Yes, I am.

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I am still an accountant.

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A simple slip of saying I used to be an accountant because I also worked as an accountant at Wisconsin Aviation when I was a senior in college at UW Madison.

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Yes, I still have a job.

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No, I am not unemployed.

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We're going to move on to Jesse Evan now, Mrs. Evan.

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You ran in the third congressional district just six years ago.

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Why did you move to this district?

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Well, I'm a proud 7th generation Wisconsin.

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I've lived in the Chippewa Valley for over 10 years, and I live where my family's been for nearly 100 years now.

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I've worked in the rural communities of this district in Chippewa, Rusk, and Barron counties, setting up clinics in small towns to make sure they had the healthcare resources they needed to succeed.

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And Mrs. Evan, I want to follow up on another seemingly big change.

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You signed a petition to recall then Republican Governor Scott Walker regarding Act 10 in 2011.

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Can you explain your thinking back then?

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Yeah, I've actually spoken with Scott Walker about this.

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This was 15 years ago.

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I was 21 years old in college, and I was told by my parents who were lied to by the teachers unions that they were worried about losing their jobs.

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And that didn't happen.

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So I not only in college did this happen, but I became a Christian.

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I became a conservative and I've knocked thousands of doors for candidates in the conservative movement for Republicans up and down the ballot over the years, helping them get elected.

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And like President Trump and President Reagan, I chose to become a Republican.

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Thank you, Mrs. Evan.

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Now that Mr. Herman, I want you to address an allegation made by the WAPACA County Republican chair.

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He says you received millions of dollars because you were in Iranian hostage.

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This stems from a 2015 budget bill.

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He spoke in support of it back then.

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Can you explain your support?

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Yes, actually, I can.

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A good friend of mine, a roommate who I had in a prison cell for six months in captivity by the name of Bill Keough and a host of my other colleagues, military folks, as well as state department officials.

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They've really had a tough time of it.

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Bill Keough, as a matter of fact, my roommate, a six foot nine inch tall giant of a man weighing 350 pounds, lost 200 pounds of his body weight in captivity.

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His family struggled mightily when he returned to try to heal him back to health.

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He died less than two years later, and his family never got to have really hear about his experience and how he became my hero in captivity.

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Many others from the 9-11 victims, the tragedy at the Beirut barracks bombing, they all suffered mightily.

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We didn't get the $3.3 million because, actually, instead of only 52 families, there were only, there were, in fact, 22,000 recipients of that fund.

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There was not a taxpayer funded organization.

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It was a sanctions fund against companies that had broken the law and doing business with the country of Iran.

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I think Sean Duffy, our former member of Congress, for championing that legislation.

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I really appreciate the fact that I've been able to accept a small portion of that money and donated it to multiple charities.

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Veterans, groups, my church, and other many very worthwhile organizations.

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Yeah, that was going to be my follow up, Mr. Hermanning.

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How much money did you receive and where did you put that money?

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Right about $700,000.

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I personally received all of the American hostages, received about $700,000.

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Those men and women who were married at the time, their family members got some, but the same amount as money ended up with the 9-11 folks as well.

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I don't know what any of my colleagues did with it.

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I believe many of them, however, did use it for healthcare and for other very badly needed issues.

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I'm very fortunate to own a business, and I was not in need of the funds, but thank goodness for Sean Duffy's efforts in that area.

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Now to miss bomb, some voters doubt your credentials as a Republican.

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Did you post in support of an ICE out protest and why?

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And is 2016 the last time you voted Donald Trump for president?

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Yeah, 2016 was the last time I voted for Donald Trump for president.

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I did not vote for him this last time.

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I don't think we all fit into neat little political boxes, and you know, the job of a representative is to represent the people and what they need.

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And what if something that the people in this district want and need doesn't align perfectly with party lines?

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Are we supposed to blindly follow that?

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I don't think so.

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I did not make a post in support of an ICE out protest.

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And I definitely have a strong stance on immigration, but I also want to make sure that our process for immigration is working and that we have enough judges to oversee our immigration cases.

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There's a 3.3 million case backlog and it takes multiple years for cases to be processed.

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I just asked for accountability and to make sure that everyone is held to the same standard.

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I was advocating and supporting campaigns starting at 17 for the Republican Party in Price County.

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My grandfather was a very prevalent Republican in Madison and spearheaded right to work law and legislation for the state of Wisconsin.

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So follow up here, Miss Baum. If Republicans keep the house, it might be a slim majority.

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Would Republican voters be able to count on you to continue working on the president's priorities?

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Oh, the job of a representative is to represent the people, not the president's priorities, no matter who the president is.

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If those priorities align, I will absolutely support them.

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But if they don't, I'm going to stand up for them just like with these AI data centers.

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Thank you, Miss Baum.

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Our next question will go to Mr. Alfonso first.

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While inflation has cooled slightly, many families still struggle with the cost of groceries, housing and everyday necessities.

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What is the single most important thing Congress can do to lower the cost of living for Americans, Mr. Alfonso?

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Well, I know you said single, but I'm going to go double.

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First and foremost, we need to cut the government budget.

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Every year, the government spends more and more money.

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And we're paying for the most ridiculous things, like transgender surgeries for goats in Afghanistan.

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Or who knows what else USAID was funding.

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President Trump has taken a good step to start drinking that, but Congress needs to follow suit.

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We need people in Congress who are going to fight with President Trump to shrink the budget.

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But the second part of reducing inflation has to do with pro-growth government policies.

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We need to encourage businesses to succeed.

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We need to get the government out of the way.

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And that starts with simply the permitting process.

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I used to work in construction.

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It costs $50,000.

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Before you can even break ground on a home.

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If we want to address the inflationary problems in the United States, we need to cut the budget.

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And we need to encourage businesses to prosper.

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Do Mrs. Evan now?

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How would you help with affordability in America?

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One of the biggest ways that we can help with affordability is looking at the input costs.

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And that's energy.

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Energy powers everything, so we need good, reliable, affordable energy.

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Unfortunately, President Biden came in a few years ago and shut down a natural gas pipeline,

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taking away that good, reliable, affordable energy.

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And instead loves to fund what the Democrats love to do with solar panels and windmills on our farmland.

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And this is bad energy to begin with.

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It's not reliable.

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When their sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.

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No energy is being put on the grid.

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And it's driving prices up because the supply is low.

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Another thing we can do when looking at housing is deregulate.

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And I'll say this a lot tonight, but we have to get the government out of the way, all this costly red tape.

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The National Association of Home Builders just came out with a report that the average cost on the average new home build

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is $132,000 of regulations.

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$132,000 of regulations that had wasted money that could be going into buying that home that could be cutting prices

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for American families to once again be able to afford a home.

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We have to get the government out of the way.

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And again, I'm the only candidate with the experience of actually taking on regulation,

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the overburdened some red tape that stifles growth for our American families,

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for the input cost for regulation, and for energy costs as well.

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And the only one with that experience will continue to do that for the people here in the set of congressional.

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Now to Mr. Hermaning, affordability in America.

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Well, I think I know a little bit about this.

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I'm a 40 year financial advisor.

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I advise clients on everything from their investments to their real estate decisions, how to pay for health care,

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whether they're retired before they're eligible for Medicare or whether they're on social security and Medicare.

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And everybody on social security does understand that every year they get a little bit of an increase,

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but most of it is taken away by the increase in Medicare premiums.

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So it really does not help to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living.

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I do believe that we need to balance a budget.

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We haven't had one in 25 years.

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I will vote only for balanced budgets or to lower the deficit and ultimately the debt.

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We do need to create jobs.

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The government doesn't do that.

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The government plays no role in creating jobs other than getting out of the way of the innovation and opportunities that

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Americans who want a better future for themselves and their families are willing to pursue.

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Yes, we do need energy independence.

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We need to be monitoring utility costs, but really inflation is the government spending way too much money.

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That's the biggest thing that can help to reduce the cost of living on people in the seventh district.

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Finally, Miss Baum, same question.

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There's a lot of things that affect affordability and there isn't just one sweeping solution that we can implement at the federal level to

21:26.000 --> 21:28.000
address the affordability crisis.

21:28.000 --> 21:34.000
It's a combination of multiple things, whether that be the impact of these AI data centers or health care costs.

21:34.000 --> 21:37.000
Housing is another big one.

21:37.000 --> 21:39.000
All of these things play a factor.

21:39.000 --> 21:50.000
We need to look at addressing this from an overarching perspective and figuring out what can we all do to help address the affordability

21:50.000 --> 21:57.000
crisis and some of that starts with who we elect into the office and the kind of people we elect into office.

21:57.000 --> 22:08.000
Right now, when 60 to 80% of people in the U.S. agree on and want a policy change, they only get it 40% of the time.

22:09.000 --> 22:14.000
This has to do with special interest influence on our politicians and on our representatives.

22:14.000 --> 22:22.000
There is no accountability to make sure that policy and legislation actually is benefiting us and what we need.

22:22.000 --> 22:28.000
They're doing what they have to do to get reelected and fund money in their campaigns.

22:28.000 --> 22:35.000
And so if we don't change the type of people we elect into office, we're not going to see changes in the affordability crisis.

22:36.000 --> 22:39.000
Our next question will go to Mr. Hermening first.

22:39.000 --> 22:47.000
Wisconsin is competing for major data center projects that promise jobs and investment, but they also raised concerns about electricity

22:47.000 --> 22:50.000
demand, water use and impacts on nearby communities.

22:50.000 --> 22:57.000
If elected, what role should the federal government play in regulating large data centers, Mr. Hermening?

22:58.000 --> 23:05.000
I think the federal government's role for sure can be to make sure that China is not the country, our enemy,

23:05.000 --> 23:12.000
which handles all of the future for data centers and artificial intelligence in general.

23:12.000 --> 23:17.000
I am a state's rights and a local government rights advocate.

23:17.000 --> 23:20.000
That's what most traditional Republicans believe in.

23:20.000 --> 23:23.000
I have served 16 years on my school board.

23:23.000 --> 23:30.000
I know a little bit about how we need to make sure that the state and the federal government stay as far away as we can have them.

23:30.000 --> 23:42.000
But I certainly know that local communities, whether it's in Beaver Dam, for example, where they are looking at one direction for pursuing data centers.

23:42.000 --> 23:50.000
Compared to other communities, especially in the Northwoods in the 7th district, are very much considering the threat against their natural resources.

23:50.000 --> 23:56.000
Our natural resources, the farmland, where can the government really stay hands off?

23:56.000 --> 24:07.000
But I really would say to you, bottom line, I don't believe that the utility costs should be passed on to the consumers who live here, regardless of where they are located.

24:07.000 --> 24:13.000
Mr. Alfonso, to you next, how should the government regulate large data centers, if at all?

24:13.000 --> 24:18.000
The rise of AI is a very scary thing, especially to my generation.

24:18.000 --> 24:22.000
We stand to lose so many jobs. We don't even know how many.

24:22.000 --> 24:29.000
But the United States has always led the way when it comes to technological advancements.

24:29.000 --> 24:34.000
I was just talking to someone today whose plan is to put these data centers in space.

24:34.000 --> 24:38.000
We need to give these decisions to the local municipalities.

24:38.000 --> 24:44.000
States and counties know far better what is better for their neighbors than the federal government.

24:44.000 --> 24:51.000
The federal government is only interested in taking your money and sending it elsewhere.

24:51.000 --> 24:55.000
Ms. Palm, you mentioned this earlier, but same question to you.

24:55.000 --> 25:01.000
Absolutely. I would definitely support a moratorium at the federal level.

25:01.000 --> 25:04.000
I would support regulation at the federal level.

25:04.000 --> 25:13.000
I do believe in states' rights and that states should ultimately have a say in control in how these data centers are implemented in their states.

25:13.000 --> 25:17.000
But the U.S. is already leading an AI and AI data centers.

25:17.000 --> 25:22.000
We have more than any other country in the world by a long shot.

25:22.000 --> 25:26.000
I think we need to look at how it affects our people.

25:26.000 --> 25:30.000
It negatively affects them a lot. It takes away jobs.

25:30.000 --> 25:38.000
It takes away resources. Wisconsin already is a state where we consume six times more energy than we produce.

25:38.000 --> 25:42.000
Now we're expanding and adding a bunch of AI data centers,

25:42.000 --> 25:49.000
which once all the approved projects are proposed, clean Wisconsin shows that the amount of energy they will use

25:49.000 --> 25:54.000
will be the equivalent of the amount of energy that's already currently used in the state.

25:54.000 --> 25:58.000
So imagine doubling that. That's not sustainable.

25:58.000 --> 26:05.000
That's not going to work moving forward. We need to be able to study them and reduce their impacts

26:05.000 --> 26:11.000
and make them a heck of a lot more efficient before this can continue at the pace that it currently is.

26:11.000 --> 26:13.000
And finally, Mrs. Evan.

26:14.000 --> 26:17.000
So data centers should not be on our farmland.

26:17.000 --> 26:23.000
And farmland is a big discussion that comes up when I'm on the campaign trail talking with voters and hearing directly from them.

26:23.000 --> 26:27.000
And their biggest concern is solar panels and windmills on our farmland.

26:27.000 --> 26:34.000
And that is right here. And now it's at the forefront of many counties, including Marathon, St. Croix, Lincoln and others.

26:34.000 --> 26:41.000
The part of the problem here as well is with the solar panels and the windmills on our farmland is that they are being

26:41.000 --> 26:46.000
standardized by federal taxpayer dollars. This is something that none of us agree to with our taxpayer dollars,

26:46.000 --> 26:56.000
yet the Green New Deal scam is powering the utilities, giving them our resources to go in and topple our farmland with, again, windmills and solar panels, bad energy to begin with.

26:56.000 --> 27:05.000
Then these subsidies or these utilities are also getting tax cuts at the federal level if they install by a certain timeline in the near future.

27:05.000 --> 27:10.000
So there is an aggressive demand for our farmland here in northern central and western Wisconsin.

27:10.000 --> 27:15.000
We must stand strong to make sure that it doesn't overtake. There is a federal component to this.

27:15.000 --> 27:29.000
And it's your member of Congress. I will sign on to pieces of legislation to make sure that those federal tax cuts that those federal tax subsidies are not included and are removed so that they are no longer powering the utilities to take over our farmland.

27:30.000 --> 27:43.000
Let's do a big step back now on a very general question. We'll go to Mrs. Evan right back at you. What separates you from the other candidates on the stage right now? Why are you the best choice, Mrs. Evan?

27:43.000 --> 27:55.000
The biggest indicator is I have both the energy and the experience to do the job. I've mentioned my experience. I'm the only candidate that has worked in manufacturing, working there now, battling over burdensome regulation.

27:56.000 --> 28:01.000
I've worked directly on the policy, the regulation and the taxation that impacts our manufacturers.

28:01.000 --> 28:07.000
And manufacturing is the top industry alongside agriculture of the 7th congressional district.

28:07.000 --> 28:20.000
With strong jobs and a revitalization of manufacturing here in our rural communities, we can sustain and rebuild our way of life, bringing families back, getting good jobs back, rebuilding and strengthening our schools and our downtowns.

28:20.000 --> 28:30.000
I've mentioned it before, but policy matters, cutting that costly red tape for not just manufacturers, but for farmers, for small businesses, only grows.

28:30.000 --> 28:39.000
I've also worked in rural health care, and I've seen firsthand the need that we have here in our district for mental health care, for emergency rooms, for labor and delivery.

28:39.000 --> 28:46.000
We have an extreme shortage that has caused bad outcomes for so many. I've talked with sheriff's departments about this with local providers as well.

28:46.000 --> 28:51.000
The need is great, along with our volunteer firefighters and our local EMS.

28:51.000 --> 28:57.000
They're struggling to be not only have the volunteers, but to get to the hospitals in time for that emergency care.

28:57.000 --> 29:05.000
We have great needs in this district, and I've worked in the industries that matter significantly along with listening, understanding policy.

29:05.000 --> 29:13.000
And that makes me the best candidate to be able to do the job on day one with the values and the preferences of the people here.

29:13.000 --> 29:16.000
Now to Ms. Baum, why are you the best choice?

29:16.000 --> 29:21.000
I grew up in Price County, born and raised on a dairy farm.

29:21.000 --> 29:27.000
I saw all the farms, small farms in my community, disappear as I was growing up.

29:27.000 --> 29:36.000
On the roads that I lived right next to, had probably about seven active farms on it when I was a child and within about a six mile span.

29:36.000 --> 29:38.000
And now there's only one.

29:39.000 --> 29:44.000
This consolidation is something I witnessed growing up.

29:44.000 --> 29:48.000
My elementary school shut down, my middle school shut down and consolidated.

29:48.000 --> 29:59.000
I then went to college up in the district in Ashland, and I did move away for a very brief moment to build up my resume and came back because I truly loved the Northwoods.

29:59.000 --> 30:05.000
And I wanted to build a life and a career here, and I've been incredibly passionate about my community.

30:05.000 --> 30:16.000
I've been incredibly involved, serving on my rotary board, rotary club board, being on my town planning commission, and a lot of other boards initiatives over the years.

30:16.000 --> 30:24.000
I have pledged to not take any corporate PAC money, and I have the lowest funding in this campaign out of everybody.

30:24.000 --> 30:30.000
I've only spent about $20,000 on this campaign so far, and we have accomplished a lot.

30:30.000 --> 30:38.000
I was still the first candidate to get all my nomination signatures submitted and collected and gain ballot access.

30:38.000 --> 30:49.000
I am here because I really want to represent the people in our communities and make sure that they're able to continue to thrive.

30:49.000 --> 30:54.000
Mr. Herrmani, what separates you from the rest of the candidates?

30:54.000 --> 30:59.000
So I saw firsthand what it means when American freedom is threatened.

30:59.000 --> 31:07.000
And why we need resolve, and we need strength, and we need an appreciation of freedom.

31:07.000 --> 31:11.000
And none of those things are just campaign slogans to me.

31:11.000 --> 31:24.000
I have 40 years of lived experience as a financial advisor, as a school board member, as a Republican party leader for 40 years, helping conservatives get elected.

31:24.000 --> 31:27.000
I mentioned earlier that I was a Trump-elector.

31:27.000 --> 31:32.000
It is and was and remains about draining the swamp.

31:32.000 --> 31:37.000
I'm not running to pursue a title in Washington.

31:37.000 --> 31:39.000
I am running to serve.

31:39.000 --> 31:43.000
I will work harder than anybody else on this stage.

31:43.000 --> 31:44.000
We're all working hard.

31:44.000 --> 31:46.000
We're all at the same events.

31:46.000 --> 31:49.000
We're all at parades and dairy breakfast.

31:49.000 --> 31:52.000
We've all put thousands of miles on our vehicles.

31:52.000 --> 32:06.000
But I can assure you that when it comes to standing next to his or her peers in Washington, D.C., as a congressmen or woman next year, in January when we are sworn in, I am the best prepared to be ready on day one.

32:06.000 --> 32:09.000
Because for me, it is not about being somebody.

32:09.000 --> 32:12.000
It is about doing something.

32:12.000 --> 32:15.000
Mr. Alfonso, same question.

32:15.000 --> 32:26.000
I'm the only candidate on this stage that our great president, the greatest president of my lifetime, President Donald J. Trump, trusts to get his agenda into law.

32:26.000 --> 32:31.000
We hear a lot about politicians saying they're pro-Trump only in the year of an election.

32:31.000 --> 32:35.000
What the Trump endorsement means is that I will support the president.

32:35.000 --> 32:37.000
I will fight for his agenda.

32:37.000 --> 32:44.000
I will work with him to bring back business to northern Wisconsin, and President Trump cares deeply about northern Wisconsin.

32:44.000 --> 32:50.000
He knows it is the very place that delivered him the election in 2024.

32:50.000 --> 32:54.000
We hear a lot about experience all around the campaign trail.

32:54.000 --> 33:00.000
Experience is a great thing, but it is not the sole indicator of success.

33:00.000 --> 33:03.000
Nick Shirley, zero experience.

33:03.000 --> 33:05.000
Let's name some people with experience.

33:05.000 --> 33:09.000
John Corrin, Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi.

33:09.000 --> 33:15.000
Under their leadership, our country has sunk further and further.

33:15.000 --> 33:19.000
I am going to bring my energy and passion every single day.

33:19.000 --> 33:24.000
Now, when it comes to the Trump endorsement, there have been a lot of questions about how I've gotten it.

33:24.000 --> 33:36.000
I sat down with him for an interview in the Oval Office, and I promised him that no one will ever outwork me, and that no one will fight harder for the people of the seventh district than I will.

33:37.000 --> 33:39.000
It's time for us to take a short break.

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We'll be back in about eight minutes.

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During our break, our chief meteorologist, Jeff Weller, will have a forecast for you, and we will return with questions very shortly.

33:55.000 --> 34:00.000
Chase Ropenack has your weekend forecast covered, Weather Watch 12.

34:01.000 --> 34:03.000
President Trump knows a fighter when he sees one.

34:03.000 --> 34:06.000
Kevin Hermanning is battle tested and ready to serve again.

34:06.000 --> 34:12.000
Kevin Hermanning has always stood tall for America, and he's never stopped putting Wisconsin first.

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In Congress, Kevin will work with President Trump to keep our border secure, cut taxes for families, safeguard our elections, and protect our farmers, loggers, and ginseng growers who power America.

34:23.000 --> 34:28.000
Conservative Kevin Hermanning for Congress, the fighter Wisconsin trusts to get results.

34:28.000 --> 34:31.000
I'm Kevin Hermanning, and I approve this message.

34:59.000 --> 35:04.000
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Accurate, local, and always on.

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We're there when you need us.

36:10.000 --> 36:15.000
Start your mornings with meteorologist Devin Biggs on NewsWatch12 today.

36:15.000 --> 36:19.000
Weeknights Chief Meteorologist Jeff Weller is tracking every change.

36:19.000 --> 36:23.000
And weekends count on Meteorologist Chase Ropenach to keep you ahead of the weather.

36:23.000 --> 36:26.000
Weather Watch 12 from Where You Live.

36:45.000 --> 36:47.000
We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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You can see how the flow 217 here.

37:33.000 --> 37:35.000
We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

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We'll be back in a few minutes.

37:41.000 --> 37:44.480
Okay, out there today, lots of clear skies for us,

37:44.480 --> 37:46.440
but to the west of us, here we are,

37:46.440 --> 37:49.080
with some clouds increasing across parts of Minnesota now,

37:49.080 --> 37:51.080
and there's a pretty good system over here

37:51.080 --> 37:52.440
that's gonna bring us some showers

37:52.440 --> 37:54.120
and storms throughout the day tomorrow,

37:54.120 --> 37:57.360
into tomorrow night, likely ending early parts

37:57.360 --> 38:00.200
of Thursday morning followed by sunshine

38:00.200 --> 38:03.120
for later Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,

38:03.120 --> 38:05.640
a great weekend on deck for us first though.

38:05.640 --> 38:07.760
We'll get the clouds increased across region tonight,

38:07.760 --> 38:10.440
and likely some rain showers by around daybreak

38:10.440 --> 38:13.360
tomorrow morning, likely not severe,

38:13.360 --> 38:15.960
but these could drop some heavy rainfall,

38:15.960 --> 38:17.800
basically north of Highway 29.

38:17.800 --> 38:19.680
The act gets out of here throughout the morning hours,

38:19.680 --> 38:22.320
and then round two comes through late and day tomorrow,

38:22.320 --> 38:25.280
again, heavy rain potentially for tomorrow as well,

38:25.280 --> 38:26.480
into tomorrow evening.

38:26.480 --> 38:29.640
So somebody could easily see some,

38:29.640 --> 38:31.480
an interest of rain from this,

38:31.480 --> 38:33.720
likely again two rounds, once more morning,

38:33.720 --> 38:35.440
the second round tomorrow afternoon and evening,

38:35.440 --> 38:37.160
it gets out of here though on Thursday morning,

38:37.160 --> 38:38.920
look what happens then, yeah,

38:38.920 --> 38:41.640
bright sunshine returns for us on Thursday afternoon,

38:41.640 --> 38:43.560
and this is a great looking forecast,

38:43.560 --> 38:45.080
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,

38:45.080 --> 38:48.560
with high temperatures in the 80s with plenty of sunshine.

38:48.560 --> 38:50.560
Have a great day.

39:18.560 --> 39:48.560
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A-G-G, tonight on the museum begun.

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That was impressive.

41:13.560 --> 41:15.560
That's a double-ducking improv.

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Where are you, Brady?

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Quality, stick with a accent.

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Ru!

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That's what I was doing!

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That's where tonight on M.C. and P.G.G.

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It's everything you need to know before you walk out the door.

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News, watch 12 today. News from where you live.

42:18.560 --> 42:21.560
I'm Kevin Herman, and I approve this message.

42:38.560 --> 42:40.560
We will start with Ms. Baum for this next question.

42:40.560 --> 42:44.560
Following US military strikes on Iran and a fragile ceasefire,

42:44.560 --> 42:49.560
many Americans are asking whether the US should become more involved in the region or less.

42:49.560 --> 42:54.560
As a member of Congress, what should America's policy toward Iran be over the next four years?

42:54.560 --> 42:56.560
Ms. Baum.

42:56.560 --> 43:04.560
Well, seeing as upholding the War Powers Resolution passed the House and the Senate this month,

43:04.560 --> 43:10.560
I think that is a clear indication that we should be less involved with Iran over the coming years.

43:11.560 --> 43:13.560
Quick answer.

43:13.560 --> 43:18.560
Mr. Alfonso, what should America's policy be toward Iran going forward?

43:18.560 --> 43:22.560
We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.

43:22.560 --> 43:27.560
President Trump, everything he does is through the prism of America first.

43:27.560 --> 43:34.560
An adversarial nation like Iran, having a nuclear weapon, is detrimental not just to Americans now,

43:34.560 --> 43:38.560
but to Americans in the future, like my daughter Rose.

43:38.560 --> 43:44.560
I stand with President Trump's actions in Iran, and I look forward to, in 2026,

43:44.560 --> 43:49.560
if this isn't done already because President Trump is the master negotiator,

43:49.560 --> 43:54.560
I look forward to working with President Trump to bring peace to the Middle East.

43:54.560 --> 43:58.560
Mr. Hermanings, same question to you.

43:58.560 --> 44:05.560
I believe the President did exactly the right thing in working back in February to deny the Iranians

44:05.560 --> 44:08.560
in their pursuit of nuclear weapons.

44:08.560 --> 44:14.560
I do not support the idea of boots on the ground, which has been advocated by many people,

44:14.560 --> 44:16.560
mostly to bring about regime change.

44:16.560 --> 44:20.560
That is a decision that the Iranian people need to make on their own.

44:20.560 --> 44:22.560
They need to be responsible for that.

44:22.560 --> 44:26.560
It is not our job to be the policeman of the world.

44:26.560 --> 44:31.560
But in any negotiation, it requires two honest brokers,

44:31.560 --> 44:36.560
and it is very evident to me in watching what's been going on between the United States

44:36.560 --> 44:44.560
and Iran for 47 years that the Iranians have never sent an honest broker to any negotiation.

44:44.560 --> 44:49.560
So I believe that we have to be very steadfast in what we are standing for.

44:49.560 --> 44:53.560
We need to oppose nuclear weapons by the Iranian regime.

44:53.560 --> 44:58.560
We need to encourage the Iranian people to take arms up against their leadership,

44:58.560 --> 45:04.560
and we need to bring our men and women home, assuring our people that we do not put boots on the ground

45:04.560 --> 45:07.560
to bring about regime change.

45:07.560 --> 45:11.560
Mrs. Eben, add in policy toward Iran going forward.

45:11.560 --> 45:16.560
We need to get out of Iran and back focused on the American people and the domestic issues here

45:16.560 --> 45:18.560
and champion peace through strength.

45:18.560 --> 45:21.560
26 of my 30 years, we were out of forever war.

45:21.560 --> 45:26.560
I don't want that to happen, sorry, 20 out of my 36 years, we were out of forever war.

45:26.560 --> 45:29.560
And I don't want that to happen to again.

45:29.560 --> 45:32.560
I don't want my son in the future to have to go off and fight another war.

45:32.560 --> 45:38.560
I don't want any mother or father to have to worry about sending their son or daughter overseas

45:38.560 --> 45:40.560
to champion someone else's war.

45:40.560 --> 45:44.560
We need to get back to America first, back to the domestic issues at hand,

45:44.560 --> 45:50.560
champion peace through strength, get this finished up in Iran, and President Trump will get it done.

45:50.560 --> 45:53.560
We will go to Mr. Hermanning first for the next question.

45:53.560 --> 45:57.560
Just a few miles east of Rhinelander is a small town of Stella.

45:57.560 --> 46:02.560
Unfortunately, it's known for having one of the highest known recordings of the concentration of PFAS,

46:02.560 --> 46:06.560
a forever chemical linked to a lot of health problems.

46:06.560 --> 46:11.560
Congress has debated everything from stricter regulations to increased cleanup funding

46:11.560 --> 46:14.560
to holding manufacturers financially responsible.

46:14.560 --> 46:20.560
If elected, what role should the federal government play in addressing PFAS contamination, Mr. Hermanning?

46:20.560 --> 46:24.560
Well, I live in Warsaw in the central part of the state.

46:24.560 --> 46:29.560
And just a couple of years ago, the city council and the mayor dealt with this issue

46:29.560 --> 46:35.560
and were able to get funds from the federal and state governments to deal with the concern about PFAS in the water.

46:35.560 --> 46:42.560
Drinking water should be one of the basic foundations of what citizens should expect from their government.

46:42.560 --> 46:52.560
I would advocate for clean water, lower costs to bring about the lesser contamination.

46:52.560 --> 46:57.560
When the government helps to make policies that bring about contamination,

46:57.560 --> 47:03.560
whether it is approving of certain types of chemicals that end up in our groundwater,

47:03.560 --> 47:06.560
the government has a responsibility for then making it right.

47:06.560 --> 47:11.560
Too often the government puts it back on the local communities, the federal government does,

47:11.560 --> 47:15.560
and that is not the way we should be approaching this, or any issue where the government,

47:15.560 --> 47:21.560
federal government is culpable for the problems that the consumers or the citizens end up bearing.

47:21.560 --> 47:26.560
Mrs. Eben, what role should the federal government play in addressing PFAS?

47:26.560 --> 47:32.560
Well, forever chemicals are an emerging science and a new issue as of the last few years.

47:32.560 --> 47:33.560
And there's still a lot to learn.

47:33.560 --> 47:37.560
We need to make sure that we have clean water for our families, for our communities.

47:37.560 --> 47:41.560
And this has been an issue that's been engaged on at the local, state, and federal level.

47:41.560 --> 47:45.560
I'm always concerned when the federal level wants to step in and over-regulate something.

47:45.560 --> 47:51.560
And so this has been addressed quite timely, so in our state, at the state, at the local level, at the county level even.

47:51.560 --> 47:57.560
And so I think that's where the focus needs to be to make sure the communities have the resources they need that they are addressed locally

47:57.560 --> 48:00.560
with the people who are impacted.

48:00.560 --> 48:04.560
Mr. Alfonso, now to you, the federal government and PFAS.

48:04.560 --> 48:10.560
This is one of the most exciting aspects of the Trump agenda, the Maha movement.

48:10.560 --> 48:14.560
I'm so proud to announce I've been endorsed by Maha Action.

48:14.560 --> 48:21.560
And I will tell you, for too long, Republicans have ceded the idea of conservation to the left.

48:21.560 --> 48:22.560
But here's the thing.

48:22.560 --> 48:26.560
As conservatives, we can chew gum and walk at the same time.

48:26.560 --> 48:29.560
We can encourage businesses to be responsible.

48:29.560 --> 48:35.560
And we can also have businesses not be hampered by over-regulation.

48:35.560 --> 48:39.560
The President of the United States understands this.

48:39.560 --> 48:45.560
He is a builder, but he also understands just how important natural resources are to the 7th District.

48:45.560 --> 48:50.560
Lakes are the center of so many of our communities here up north.

48:50.560 --> 48:58.560
And I look forward to working with President Trump not only to encourage businesses, but to also protect our natural resources.

48:58.560 --> 49:00.560
Let's stay with Mr. Alfonso here.

49:00.560 --> 49:05.560
Mr. Alfonso, should the federal government regulate PFAS contamination?

49:05.560 --> 49:07.560
Well, here's the thing.

49:07.560 --> 49:14.560
The federal government is always, always stepping in and going over the top when it comes to regulations.

49:14.560 --> 49:18.560
But when I lean on to federal governments, I look at the Biden administration.

49:18.560 --> 49:25.560
During COVID, we had so many lies told to us by the very people that are supposed to be regulating.

49:25.560 --> 49:28.560
Now, I would like to see that brought down to the state level.

49:28.560 --> 49:38.560
One of the centers of my campaign is going to, and if God willing, I get into office, is making sure that the federal government is shrunk.

49:38.560 --> 49:42.560
D.C. bureaucrats do not know what is best for Wisconsin.

49:42.560 --> 49:46.560
Only Wisconsinites know what is best for Wisconsin.

49:46.560 --> 49:52.560
Finally, Ms. Pong's same question, should the federal government be involved in regulating PFAS?

49:53.560 --> 50:00.560
Well, I will definitely say that the federal government was involved in some of the PFAS issues that we have.

50:00.560 --> 50:09.560
Farmers were encouraged to spread sludge on their fields that ended up having extremely high levels of PFAS in it.

50:09.560 --> 50:19.560
There is a case where a farmer had to eliminate his whole entire dairy herd because of the high levels of PFAS in the milk coming from the cows.

50:20.560 --> 50:28.560
Once PFAS is in the ground and in the environment and in our resources, it is nearly impossible to eliminate.

50:28.560 --> 50:32.560
One of the things that it binds to really well is actually hemp.

50:32.560 --> 50:34.560
Now, that just gets it to bind to hemp.

50:34.560 --> 50:38.560
Doesn't mean you can still get rid of it, but you can get it out of areas.

50:38.560 --> 50:46.560
And that's one way to look at a solution, but once it's in our water, we're having a hard time getting it out.

50:46.560 --> 50:54.560
So I think it is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that we do have clean and good access to drinking water.

50:54.560 --> 50:59.560
It is one of our rights that we should have.

50:59.560 --> 51:02.560
We will start with Mrs. Evan for this next question.

51:02.560 --> 51:07.560
We just celebrated 250 years of this country, a tremendous feat.

51:07.560 --> 51:10.560
I want to learn your vision for the future of the United States.

51:10.560 --> 51:14.560
So to the candidates, what's next for this country, Mrs. Evan?

51:14.560 --> 51:24.560
Well, when I think about 250 years and the Declaration of Independence that has life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as the major declaratory statement,

51:24.560 --> 51:31.560
I think about life being first and we need to prioritize life, fighting for life, I'm 100% pro-life.

51:31.560 --> 51:36.560
If we have a vision for this country, we need to be thinking about our future and that future is our children.

51:36.560 --> 51:43.560
I had the great honor and blessing of having a son and having grown him in my own womb and held him.

51:43.560 --> 51:51.560
And the value of life, which has been a subject of matter that the Democrats have tried to take away from us,

51:51.560 --> 51:54.560
seeing that children are a burden. They are not. They are a blessing.

51:54.560 --> 52:00.560
And there's a lot to be done at the federal level to still champion life, such as getting rid of the abortion pill,

52:00.560 --> 52:06.560
that is crossing state lines, that is poisoning women as they lose their child and as the women suffer as well.

52:06.560 --> 52:12.560
One in ten women that have taken the abortion pill end up in the emergency room with sepsis.

52:12.560 --> 52:19.560
The children are killed. As we know, it's done grave danger. So if we cannot champion life, if we cannot do that,

52:19.560 --> 52:24.560
then what are the other policies that matter? We have to stand up for our children. We have to defend the unborn.

52:24.560 --> 52:27.560
I am absolutely committed to doing that.

52:27.560 --> 52:32.560
Mr. Alfonso, your vision for the future of the country.

52:32.560 --> 52:38.560
Very simply, we need to recommit ourselves to President Trump's America First Agenda.

52:38.560 --> 52:44.560
Now, President Trump is working every single day to make sure costs are coming down in the United States.

52:44.560 --> 52:49.560
But Congress, as always, is slow to act and fighting him tooth and nail.

52:49.560 --> 52:55.560
I'm the only person on this stage that President Trump trusts to get his agenda enacted into office.

52:55.560 --> 53:01.560
And on day one, we will re-put through, yet again, the Save America Act.

53:01.560 --> 53:06.560
We can only have United States citizens voting in American elections.

53:06.560 --> 53:12.560
If we want to address any other issues in the country, we have to address that one first. Thank you.

53:12.560 --> 53:16.560
Ms. Baum, now to you, your vision.

53:16.560 --> 53:23.560
My vision really stems from the founding of the Republican Party.

53:23.560 --> 53:30.560
When the party was founded, there was a need for their vision and their core principles.

53:30.560 --> 53:37.560
They wanted to ensure the government worked for the everyday average working class American,

53:37.560 --> 53:46.560
not special interests who are wealthy special interests who are trying to influence the politicians to ensure that they could continue their way of life

53:46.560 --> 53:48.560
and continue to take advantage.

53:48.560 --> 53:55.560
And at the time, those wealthy special interests were plantation and slave owners.

53:55.560 --> 54:00.560
And that was going to threaten the livelihood of the people living up here,

54:00.560 --> 54:06.560
how they could expand and start a business and create jobs for themselves and build their lives.

54:06.560 --> 54:16.560
So, for me, it's really about getting the special interests influences out of our politics to ensure that government is working for us fairly and properly.

54:16.560 --> 54:24.560
I want to work on getting Citizens United overturned to ensure our representatives represent us.

54:24.560 --> 54:28.560
And finally, Mr. Herman, same question, vision for the future.

54:28.560 --> 54:31.560
I love this question.

54:31.560 --> 54:36.560
For 40 years, I've been talking to high school students, church audiences,

54:36.560 --> 54:41.560
civic organizations like the Lions and Rotary Clubs, and many political audiences

54:41.560 --> 54:46.560
about what it means to be an American, liberty and leadership.

54:46.560 --> 54:53.560
The reality is that I cut my teeth in politics when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States.

54:53.560 --> 54:58.560
Ronald Reagan first coined the term in 1981 running for President,

54:58.560 --> 55:01.560
let's make America great again.

55:01.560 --> 55:04.560
Donald Trump, of course, is make America great again.

55:04.560 --> 55:10.560
I am a Trump, Republican and American first conservative.

55:10.560 --> 55:18.560
And I believe that Ronald Reagan's call to the United States, to our people,

55:18.560 --> 55:25.560
to remain the shining city on the hill that really became the beacon for the entire world

55:25.560 --> 55:29.560
and why so many people yearned to come to America.

55:29.560 --> 55:38.560
We have seen during this World Cup so many people from across the planet mesmerized by what America is,

55:38.560 --> 55:45.560
by her people, by the opportunities, by the many great things in the cities that they've been playing.

55:45.560 --> 55:49.560
And I hope that over the course of the next 250 years,

55:49.560 --> 55:58.560
that our constitutional foundations can be what lays the foundation, lays the groundwork for the next 250 years.

55:58.560 --> 56:01.560
This next question will go to Mr. Alfonso I.

56:01.560 --> 56:06.560
The Great Wolf has moved on and off the federal endangered species list over the years,

56:06.560 --> 56:12.560
creating uncertainty over who should manage the population and whether Wisconsin can hold a wolf hunt

56:12.560 --> 56:17.560
as a member of Congress what role should the federal government play in wolf management

56:17.560 --> 56:21.560
and what policy would you support going forward, Mr. Alfonso?

56:21.560 --> 56:24.560
Man, you're making me start to sound like a broken record up here.

56:24.560 --> 56:30.560
It turns out almost every single one of our problems is actually caused by the federal government.

56:30.560 --> 56:33.560
The federal government should not be regulating the gray wolf.

56:33.560 --> 56:34.560
Do you know why?

56:34.560 --> 56:37.560
They don't deal with it in Washington, D.C.

56:37.560 --> 56:40.560
In Hayward, Wisconsin, where I live, we do deal with it.

56:40.560 --> 56:44.560
Farmers across the district are having their livestock eaten by gray wolves.

56:44.560 --> 56:48.560
We absolutely need to bring this to the state level.

56:48.560 --> 56:52.560
Again, only Wisconsinites know what is best for Wisconsinites.

56:52.560 --> 56:58.560
Bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. have no idea what rural America is.

56:58.560 --> 57:03.560
Ms. Bomb, what role should the federal government play in wolf management?

57:03.560 --> 57:08.560
I think the current role it plays is adequate,

57:08.560 --> 57:12.560
and right now there is a big push for delisting the gray wolf,

57:12.560 --> 57:14.560
and I fully support that.

57:14.560 --> 57:20.560
The numbers are adequate and show that there is definitely need to delist them.

57:20.560 --> 57:25.560
The populations have bounced back, and a hunt on a responsible hunt on them

57:25.560 --> 57:28.560
would not threaten the species in this area.

57:28.560 --> 57:31.560
Now to Mr. Herrmaning, same question.

57:31.560 --> 57:35.560
Will I also support the delisting of the gray wolf?

57:35.560 --> 57:39.560
But I also agree that it is a state issue, but right now,

57:39.560 --> 57:41.560
because it's being dealt with at the federal level,

57:41.560 --> 57:46.560
we need to have the federal government implement that type of a policy,

57:46.560 --> 57:51.560
and I think that our former congressmen has had it exactly right,

57:51.560 --> 57:54.560
and that is to delist the gray wolf.

57:54.560 --> 57:57.560
And finally to Mrs. Evans, same question.

57:57.560 --> 57:59.560
Congress needs to delist the gray wolf.

57:59.560 --> 58:01.560
That bill has to pass.

58:01.560 --> 58:05.560
Congressman Tom Tiffany, our current representative of the 7th Congressional District,

58:05.560 --> 58:08.560
has been working tirelessly on this and his natural resource committee,

58:08.560 --> 58:11.560
got it passed through the house and now it's sitting with the U.S. Senate.

58:11.560 --> 58:15.560
When I talk with people on the trail throughout our very rural communities here,

58:15.560 --> 58:21.560
they are extremely concerned about the gray wolf and its predatory enactment

58:21.560 --> 58:26.560
on livestock, on calves, on guard dogs, on guard animals, on bear dogs,

58:26.560 --> 58:29.560
and laying like county alone in this last fall,

58:29.560 --> 58:35.560
there was one weekend where six bear dogs were killed in one weekend in one area.

58:35.560 --> 58:39.560
When I talk directly with bear hunters and other hunters throughout this district,

58:39.560 --> 58:40.560
this is their number one issue.

58:40.560 --> 58:43.560
It's also a huge issue for farmers and everyday people.

58:43.560 --> 58:45.560
The wolves are not scared of anything.

58:45.560 --> 58:48.560
When I talk with my neighbors who are out checking their trail cams,

58:48.560 --> 58:51.560
they are followed by two different wolves at a time.

58:51.560 --> 58:52.560
I have to carry.

58:52.560 --> 58:54.560
When I talk with those who do concealed carry classes,

58:54.560 --> 58:58.560
they are now training more people who are recreationally hiked throughout our area,

58:58.560 --> 58:59.560
but they want to feel safe.

58:59.560 --> 59:03.560
The wolf has become the gray wolf, has become way too predatory,

59:03.560 --> 59:06.560
and we need to deal with it, and that starts with delisting it

59:06.560 --> 59:09.560
from the endangered species list that takes an act of Congress,

59:09.560 --> 59:12.560
and I'm absolutely committed to getting that done.

59:12.560 --> 59:15.560
The next question will go to Ms. Baum first.

59:15.560 --> 59:18.560
The national debt now exceeds $40 trillion.

59:18.560 --> 59:20.560
I want you to be specific here.

59:20.560 --> 59:25.560
What specific federal programs would you reduce or taxes you would change

59:25.560 --> 59:28.560
to put the country on a more sustainable fiscal path?

59:28.560 --> 59:31.560
Do you think Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security benefits

59:31.560 --> 59:34.560
should be changed, Ms. Baum?

59:34.560 --> 59:37.560
Let me start on Social Security benefits.

59:37.560 --> 59:41.560
I don't think there should be any cuts to Social Security benefits.

59:41.560 --> 59:44.560
That is such a critical component to people who live up here

59:44.560 --> 59:46.560
in the seventh district.

59:46.560 --> 59:50.560
Automatic 23% cuts to benefits would be very detrimental

59:50.560 --> 59:52.560
to the economy up here.

59:52.560 --> 59:56.560
As a lot of people rely on those Social Security benefits.

59:56.560 --> 01:00:01.560
The bigger issue when it comes to our spending and our debt,

01:00:01.560 --> 01:00:06.560
it's prioritizing where we put our money and how we spend our money.

01:00:06.560 --> 01:00:07.560
There's plenty of it.

01:00:07.560 --> 01:00:12.560
There's more than enough to make sure that various programs

01:00:12.560 --> 01:00:16.560
and initiatives are met and that we can receive them.

01:00:16.560 --> 01:00:19.560
It's a prioritization issue at the end of the day.

01:00:19.560 --> 01:00:21.560
And how do we fix that prioritization issue?

01:00:21.560 --> 01:00:26.560
We fix that by electing different types of people to Congress.

01:00:26.560 --> 01:00:32.560
Again, if we continue to elect people who soul and first focus

01:00:32.560 --> 01:00:35.560
is not representing the people and who are influenced

01:00:35.560 --> 01:00:39.560
by outside special interests, there is no accountability for them

01:00:39.560 --> 01:00:46.560
to actually make sure that policy and bills and legislation going forward

01:00:46.560 --> 01:00:50.560
will impact and help keep our money going to the things

01:00:50.560 --> 01:00:54.560
that are actually a priority and what we actually need and want.

01:00:54.560 --> 01:00:58.560
So we need to change the type of people that we elect to Congress

01:00:58.560 --> 01:01:02.560
to ensure that the budget is actually a priority.

01:01:02.560 --> 01:01:04.560
So Ms. Bon, let's be specific here.

01:01:04.560 --> 01:01:05.560
Should we raise taxes?

01:01:05.560 --> 01:01:06.560
Should we cut something else?

01:01:06.560 --> 01:01:08.560
We don't need to raise taxes.

01:01:08.560 --> 01:01:10.560
It's a prioritization issue.

01:01:10.560 --> 01:01:13.560
There's no accountability.

01:01:13.560 --> 01:01:15.560
There's plenty of money in the government.

01:01:15.560 --> 01:01:18.560
The Pentagon hasn't passed an audit ever.

01:01:18.560 --> 01:01:24.560
They can't account for trillions of dollars in assets.

01:01:24.560 --> 01:01:27.560
If you're a business and you don't pass an audit,

01:01:27.560 --> 01:01:28.560
there's consequences.

01:01:28.560 --> 01:01:31.560
So where's the accountability within our own government

01:01:31.560 --> 01:01:33.560
and how our money is spent?

01:01:33.560 --> 01:01:34.560
Moving on to Mr. Hermanning.

01:01:34.560 --> 01:01:39.560
Mr. Hermanning, what specifically can be done to balance the budget in Washington, D.C.?

01:01:39.560 --> 01:01:43.560
Well, I think one thing we need to do is to stop putting all of these pieces

01:01:43.560 --> 01:01:47.560
of legislation into a big Christmas tree-type bill

01:01:47.560 --> 01:01:50.560
where the people in Congress don't even know what they're voting on

01:01:50.560 --> 01:01:53.560
before they actually are asked to cast a vote.

01:01:53.560 --> 01:01:55.560
They can't come back to their district.

01:01:55.560 --> 01:01:58.560
They cannot tell us what's in the legislation that they voted for.

01:01:58.560 --> 01:02:00.560
That is a problem.

01:02:00.560 --> 01:02:04.560
We need to start separating out these pieces of legislation as an example.

01:02:04.560 --> 01:02:08.560
Why is the agriculture commodities and subsidy programs

01:02:08.560 --> 01:02:13.560
lumped in with SNAP and nutrition programs?

01:02:13.560 --> 01:02:16.560
Each of those types of things, whether it's on the farm bill,

01:02:16.560 --> 01:02:21.560
whether it is on the defense bill, whether it is on immigration law

01:02:21.560 --> 01:02:26.560
and the bills that are passed to fund legal immigration, border security,

01:02:26.560 --> 01:02:31.560
the various types of ways that we can protect Americans from illegal immigrants,

01:02:31.560 --> 01:02:34.560
it's all lumped into a single piece of legislation.

01:02:34.560 --> 01:02:37.560
And once we start separating those out,

01:02:37.560 --> 01:02:41.560
the American people are going to better trust that the elected officials

01:02:41.560 --> 01:02:43.560
know what they're doing in Washington, D.C.

01:02:43.560 --> 01:02:47.560
Congress has stolen the money from Social Security.

01:02:47.560 --> 01:02:49.560
We need to start shoring it up.

01:02:49.560 --> 01:02:55.560
It does not require cutting benefits for retirees or near retirees or anybody.

01:02:55.560 --> 01:02:59.560
We do not have a revenue problem.

01:02:59.560 --> 01:03:01.560
We have a spending problem.

01:03:01.560 --> 01:03:04.560
And the sooner that Congress starts taking seriously,

01:03:04.560 --> 01:03:07.560
their responsibility to manage the purse strings,

01:03:07.560 --> 01:03:11.560
which is the priority job of a member of the House to pass a budget,

01:03:11.560 --> 01:03:14.560
the better off the American people will be.

01:03:14.560 --> 01:03:17.560
So, Mr. Herman, you mentioned Social Security is off the table for you,

01:03:17.560 --> 01:03:19.560
but we have to mention something.

01:03:19.560 --> 01:03:22.560
What can be cut to get us to a better fiscal situation?

01:03:22.560 --> 01:03:27.560
Well, I think that for one thing, we all know about the fraud that's happening,

01:03:27.560 --> 01:03:31.560
whether it is the daycare centers in Minneapolis and St. Paul

01:03:31.560 --> 01:03:35.560
or the Medicaid fraud in Southeast Wisconsin

01:03:35.560 --> 01:03:39.560
or some of the other fraud areas that have already been identified in Ohio

01:03:39.560 --> 01:03:42.560
and in California, that's a start.

01:03:42.560 --> 01:03:44.560
It certainly doesn't finish the job,

01:03:44.560 --> 01:03:47.560
but the best way to solve an economic crisis

01:03:47.560 --> 01:03:49.560
is to get the federal government out of the way

01:03:49.560 --> 01:03:52.560
so that people like the folks who I work with every day

01:03:52.560 --> 01:03:54.560
who are small business owners and farmers,

01:03:54.560 --> 01:03:57.560
they have the opportunity to move forward their jobs,

01:03:57.560 --> 01:04:00.560
their companies, hire people.

01:04:00.560 --> 01:04:04.560
That's all people want is for the federal government to get out of the way,

01:04:04.560 --> 01:04:08.560
to give us the opportunity to make the best of our lives

01:04:08.560 --> 01:04:12.560
from an economic and a social perspective

01:04:12.560 --> 01:04:15.560
and maybe, just maybe,

01:04:15.560 --> 01:04:21.560
if the government doesn't tax and spend the future of our people as they retire

01:04:21.560 --> 01:04:27.560
and as they want to pass a small part of what's left onto their heirs,

01:04:27.560 --> 01:04:32.560
the people might trust the government to actually get their job done.

01:04:32.560 --> 01:04:37.560
Mr. Alfonso, now same question, what should be done to balance the budget in D.C.?

01:04:37.560 --> 01:04:40.560
Our vital programs, like Social Security,

01:04:40.560 --> 01:04:44.560
cannot be taken away from the older generation.

01:04:44.560 --> 01:04:48.560
They were promised by the United States that they would receive these benefits.

01:04:48.560 --> 01:04:51.560
My parents receive Social Security.

01:04:51.560 --> 01:04:55.560
The idea that we could take that away from them is un-American.

01:04:55.560 --> 01:04:59.560
Here in America, we pay our debts, and we will.

01:04:59.560 --> 01:05:03.560
I will tell you how we'll find the money in the budget as well.

01:05:03.560 --> 01:05:06.560
When we look at just the doge cuts,

01:05:06.560 --> 01:05:10.560
Elon Musk estimated it was around a trillion dollars a year.

01:05:10.560 --> 01:05:13.560
Do you know how much of that was actually cut from the budget?

01:05:13.560 --> 01:05:17.560
Almost none, because the president can't do that.

01:05:17.560 --> 01:05:21.560
The president has to shift the funding. He cannot cut it.

01:05:21.560 --> 01:05:27.560
We will work every single day to make sure that the fraud, waste, and abuse in our system

01:05:27.560 --> 01:05:29.560
is taken, gotten rid of.

01:05:29.560 --> 01:05:34.560
Because if we want to protect these programs that we rely so much on,

01:05:34.560 --> 01:05:38.560
we need to make sure that illegals are not receiving these benefits,

01:05:38.560 --> 01:05:42.560
that only people that paid into the system are receiving these benefits.

01:05:42.560 --> 01:05:48.560
As a young man, I can't think of a single issue that matters more to the young people of America

01:05:48.560 --> 01:05:53.560
who are paying into a program that many of them believe they will never see a dime off.

01:05:53.560 --> 01:06:01.560
We need to address these issues, and it starts by getting rid of the fraud, waste, and abuse in our government.

01:06:01.560 --> 01:06:03.560
Mrs. Evans, same question.

01:06:03.560 --> 01:06:07.560
As an act of Congress, we can pass the balanced budget amendment.

01:06:07.560 --> 01:06:12.560
And add something to it that if the budget is not passed in a balanced way,

01:06:12.560 --> 01:06:17.560
that Congress doesn't get paid. Take the reward from Congress, and you'll start seeing some action get done.

01:06:17.560 --> 01:06:22.560
So we need to balance the budget. We need to prioritize spending. We can do a lot more with less.

01:06:22.560 --> 01:06:26.560
It's what everyone has to do at their kitchen table every night, send down as a family,

01:06:26.560 --> 01:06:30.560
and figure out how to work with their household budget.

01:06:30.560 --> 01:06:34.560
We need people who understand that to go to Congress and make those common sense decisions.

01:06:34.560 --> 01:06:38.560
Now, I work in manufacturing, and one of the things that we have to do constantly

01:06:38.560 --> 01:06:43.560
is look at how do we create a better product, higher quality, but lower cost,

01:06:43.560 --> 01:06:46.560
but yet create a streamlined process.

01:06:46.560 --> 01:06:51.560
And we need more people with that manufacturing mindset to go into Congress

01:06:51.560 --> 01:06:54.560
to understand, to take out the efficiencies, to find the waste.

01:06:54.560 --> 01:06:56.560
And in this case, to find the waste fraud and abuse.

01:06:56.560 --> 01:07:00.560
But you know who else has that manufacturing mindset, who has a background in manufacturing,

01:07:00.560 --> 01:07:05.560
and has strict on government spending, and doesn't back down, is U.S. Senator Ron Johnson.

01:07:05.560 --> 01:07:11.560
We need more people with that type of understanding of manufacturing, of common sense solutions,

01:07:11.560 --> 01:07:14.560
and knowing when to stand tall and say no to more spending,

01:07:14.560 --> 01:07:19.560
and that's exactly what I will do as well, take the manufacturing mindset to say no to additional spending.

01:07:19.560 --> 01:07:22.560
It's about time we crack down on the budget.

01:07:22.560 --> 01:07:24.560
Question for Mr. Hermanning first.

01:07:24.560 --> 01:07:28.560
Artificial intelligence is expected to transform industries

01:07:28.560 --> 01:07:31.560
ranging from manufacturing to healthcare.

01:07:31.560 --> 01:07:35.560
Should Congress regulate AI more aggressively, Mr. Hermanning?

01:07:35.560 --> 01:07:41.560
Well, thank goodness for artificial intelligence, because it's the next frontier.

01:07:41.560 --> 01:07:44.560
But it cannot run unfettered.

01:07:44.560 --> 01:07:50.560
We've had, of course, the Industrial Revolution, the Information Revolution,

01:07:50.560 --> 01:07:52.560
and now it's artificial intelligence.

01:07:52.560 --> 01:07:57.560
The federal government's role is to make sure that we are not left behind on the world stage.

01:07:57.560 --> 01:08:04.560
It is the federal government's job, I believe, to not put in place unnecessary, unneeded regulations

01:08:04.560 --> 01:08:09.560
so that those people who want to start companies, those people who want to grow companies,

01:08:09.560 --> 01:08:15.560
those people who want to take chances at future success, have the opportunity to do so.

01:08:15.560 --> 01:08:21.560
Too often the government gets in the way, too often the government thinks it knows best,

01:08:21.560 --> 01:08:26.560
and it seems from the chair that I sit in every single day working with my customers

01:08:26.560 --> 01:08:31.560
who are worried about the future and affordability, that one way to keep costs down

01:08:31.560 --> 01:08:39.560
is by looking at options for artificial intelligence, but not at the expense of the important jobs

01:08:39.560 --> 01:08:45.560
of doing the heavy labor jobs that are necessary in a future America.

01:08:45.560 --> 01:08:50.560
I served on my school board for 16 years, and we had an emphasis on the trades,

01:08:50.560 --> 01:08:56.560
because an artificial intelligence effort is not ever going to change our oil.

01:08:56.560 --> 01:09:00.560
It's not ever going to work in the, it helps in the tool and dye industries,

01:09:00.560 --> 01:09:03.560
but it's not going to totally replace it, thankfully.

01:09:03.560 --> 01:09:09.560
It makes the job simpler in many cases, but it cannot replace the needs that the American people have.

01:09:09.560 --> 01:09:13.560
Now to Mrs. Evan, should Congress regulate AI more aggressively?

01:09:13.560 --> 01:09:17.560
I think with any new emerging technology, we need to be cautious about it.

01:09:17.560 --> 01:09:21.560
We need to understand it, get comfortable with it, but not rely on it.

01:09:21.560 --> 01:09:26.560
It's a tool in the tool belt, but it's not something to be, again, fully relied upon.

01:09:26.560 --> 01:09:29.560
What I am concerned with AI is images and protecting our children,

01:09:29.560 --> 01:09:32.560
making sure their children aren't included in any images,

01:09:32.560 --> 01:09:36.560
and that they don't have any of that coming on to their own devices.

01:09:36.560 --> 01:09:39.560
We also need to look at AI through an education perspective.

01:09:39.560 --> 01:09:44.560
There's been enough technology in the schools, we need to make sure that students can read, write,

01:09:44.560 --> 01:09:46.560
and do arithmetic.

01:09:46.560 --> 01:09:51.560
Our outcomes have only gone down in the state of Wisconsin, including up here in northern Wisconsin as well.

01:09:51.560 --> 01:09:55.560
So we need to make sure that AI is not a reliant tool in our education system,

01:09:55.560 --> 01:10:00.560
that kids are still learning not only the traits, but also the reading, writing, and math

01:10:00.560 --> 01:10:02.560
that will set them on the right path.

01:10:02.560 --> 01:10:06.560
Again, this is something to learn to be comfortable with, but not rely on.

01:10:06.560 --> 01:10:12.560
Studies have already been done where they're seeing that our brains are losing their knowledge

01:10:12.560 --> 01:10:16.560
when we rely on AI, because we're not doing our own research or reading,

01:10:16.560 --> 01:10:19.560
and we're not doing our own figuring out and solving of our own problems.

01:10:19.560 --> 01:10:24.560
So I would just say be cautious, understand it, but don't rely heavily on it.

01:10:24.560 --> 01:10:27.560
Mr. Alfonso, same question.

01:10:27.560 --> 01:10:32.560
I might be the only politician who is honest enough to say, I don't know.

01:10:32.560 --> 01:10:36.560
I grew up with AI. I went to college during the AI boom.

01:10:36.560 --> 01:10:40.560
We don't know where this technology is going to take us,

01:10:40.560 --> 01:10:42.560
but we need to watch it very closely.

01:10:42.560 --> 01:10:48.560
We cannot have hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their jobs.

01:10:48.560 --> 01:10:51.560
Jobs give you the integrity of life.

01:10:51.560 --> 01:10:56.560
The government's only role is to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

01:10:56.560 --> 01:10:59.560
When it comes to AI, it is a very new technology.

01:10:59.560 --> 01:11:03.560
Even the people building it don't quite know where it is going to go,

01:11:03.560 --> 01:11:11.560
but I will tell you that we will not allow Americans to lose their jobs by the thousands from AI.

01:11:11.560 --> 01:11:14.560
Ms. Baum, same question.

01:11:14.560 --> 01:11:17.560
Well, Congress already regulates a lot of other industries.

01:11:17.560 --> 01:11:20.560
Why is AI the exception? It shouldn't be.

01:11:20.560 --> 01:11:27.560
It should be regulated just like we do a lot of other aspects in different industries across the nation.

01:11:27.560 --> 01:11:31.560
Unfortunately, it's been getting extra benefits in a way.

01:11:31.560 --> 01:11:39.560
The state of Wisconsin proved in the budget to give AI data centers its sales tax exemption.

01:11:39.560 --> 01:11:43.560
I know this is a state level thing, but I'm using this as an example because

01:11:43.560 --> 01:11:51.560
why are they getting that benefit when there are small businesses who actually provide consistent jobs

01:11:51.560 --> 01:11:56.560
and more jobs than an AI data center will at the end of the day after its completion?

01:11:56.560 --> 01:12:01.560
They should not be getting breaks. They should not be getting it to be easier for them to implement.

01:12:01.560 --> 01:12:07.560
They should go through all the same hoops and hurdles as every other industry does.

01:12:07.560 --> 01:12:17.560
They should not have an exception, and that is Congress's job to ensure that it is evenly dispersed among industries.

01:12:17.560 --> 01:12:22.560
General question now, let's take a step back. It's going to Mr. Alfonso first.

01:12:22.560 --> 01:12:29.560
What do you believe is the single most important quality a member of Congress should have and how have you demonstrated it?

01:12:29.560 --> 01:12:33.560
Simply put, character and conviction.

01:12:33.560 --> 01:12:39.560
I believe every single person on this stage has actually shown character and conviction,

01:12:39.560 --> 01:12:49.560
but I would tell you, being a Christian, it is my goal always every single day to honor God through every single thing that I do.

01:12:49.560 --> 01:12:56.560
I think in this country, one of the easiest ways to see the decline is the way we no longer discuss God.

01:12:56.560 --> 01:13:01.560
Long ago, we had the ruling that said we're going to separate the church and the state,

01:13:01.560 --> 01:13:06.560
but that was to keep the state out of the churches, not the churches out of the state.

01:13:06.560 --> 01:13:13.560
We are a Christian nation, and I look forward to getting back to those founding principles.

01:13:13.560 --> 01:13:22.560
Thank you, Mr. Alfonso. Same question to Ms. Baum now. What is the most important value a candidate for Congress should have and how have you demonstrated it?

01:13:22.560 --> 01:13:27.560
I think the most important value is integrity.

01:13:27.560 --> 01:13:35.560
You need integrity to make the right choices and decisions and to be able to advocate for the people in the district properly.

01:13:35.560 --> 01:13:44.560
Again, the role of a representative in Congress is to represent people and hold the executive branch accountable.

01:13:44.560 --> 01:13:51.560
I have pledged to not take any corporate PAC money so that people in this district know exactly who I represent.

01:13:51.560 --> 01:13:58.560
You know that my decisions and advocacy will not be swayed by any outside special interests.

01:13:58.560 --> 01:14:03.560
My priority will always be my constituents.

01:14:03.560 --> 01:14:08.560
Mrs. Evans, same question to you.

01:14:08.560 --> 01:14:13.560
Showing up for the people and showing them who you are, how you're going to represent their values on our way of life.

01:14:13.560 --> 01:14:18.560
And I've done that time and again. I've been on the campaign trail now for nearly nine and a half months,

01:14:18.560 --> 01:14:26.560
but about 45,000 miles on my car, traveling the district to hear directly from people, showing up time and again at debates and form.

01:14:26.560 --> 01:14:31.560
I called for the debates back in March and I'm glad so many have taken place and I'm proud to be here tonight.

01:14:31.560 --> 01:14:37.560
We need to make sure that the voice of the people is heard and that showing up time and again at local town meetings,

01:14:37.560 --> 01:14:44.560
at public forums on important issues, at regular Republican meetings, but at parades, at dairy breakfasts, at rodeos,

01:14:44.560 --> 01:14:49.560
at all the town festivals going on throughout our district, showing up matters,

01:14:49.560 --> 01:14:56.560
understanding the issues directly from the people and not a lobbyist matters, knowing how to do the work matters as well.

01:14:56.560 --> 01:15:01.560
And again, my experience in manufacturing, specifically taking on the federal bureaucracy,

01:15:01.560 --> 01:15:08.560
being dedicated to manufacturing and industry here to save thousands of domestic manufacturing jobs.

01:15:08.560 --> 01:15:14.560
That's exactly what I've done. This is a very public long job interview and how we show up matters.

01:15:14.560 --> 01:15:20.560
I've shown up time and again and I will continue to do so as your representative to make sure your voice is heard,

01:15:20.560 --> 01:15:27.560
and I listen, that I learn from you, and I take my proven lived experience to champion our values, our way of life,

01:15:27.560 --> 01:15:30.560
and your values there as well.

01:15:30.560 --> 01:15:34.560
Same question to Mr. Herrmaning.

01:15:34.560 --> 01:15:41.560
I think it's having an undying belief in the greatness of the United States of America.

01:15:41.560 --> 01:15:43.560
God endowed.

01:15:43.560 --> 01:15:47.560
We are a nation of a diverse people.

01:15:47.560 --> 01:15:55.560
Only not flawless. We've had a lot of mistakes as a nation, and many leaders have failed us.

01:15:55.560 --> 01:16:02.560
But you have to have a belief in the future of our country, which is built on the foundation of where we've come,

01:16:02.560 --> 01:16:07.560
or the course of the past now 250 years and a few days.

01:16:07.560 --> 01:16:14.560
It is about conviction. It is about confidence. It is about opportunity.

01:16:14.560 --> 01:16:21.560
It's about belief in the Bible. It's about belief in our individual mores.

01:16:21.560 --> 01:16:27.560
It's about really understanding that when it comes time to do this job,

01:16:27.560 --> 01:16:32.560
it means that we represent the interests of the people of the district,

01:16:32.560 --> 01:16:38.560
the people who voted for us, and the people who didn't vote for us, but live in our communities.

01:16:38.560 --> 01:16:42.560
I've lived here for 40 years. People know me. They know my values.

01:16:42.560 --> 01:16:48.560
They know my core philosophy of economic opportunity, personal responsibility,

01:16:48.560 --> 01:16:55.560
and certainly a strong belief in a national defense that can protect our nation on a dangerous world stage.

01:16:55.560 --> 01:17:02.560
So I will always show up, not just during campaign time, but after I'm elected.

01:17:02.560 --> 01:17:06.560
Thank you, Mr. Hermaning. We are nearing the end of our debate.

01:17:06.560 --> 01:17:11.560
Our final question, before closing statements, we'll go to Mr. Alfonso first.

01:17:11.560 --> 01:17:17.560
So I want to know about an issue we haven't spoken about tonight. Mr. Alfonso, what is something we missed in this debate

01:17:17.560 --> 01:17:21.560
that you think is important to the people of the district, Mr. Alfonso?

01:17:21.560 --> 01:17:25.560
You know, going around the district, there are a lot of issues in our country,

01:17:25.560 --> 01:17:29.560
but the number one issue I hear is about the tariffs.

01:17:29.560 --> 01:17:33.560
You know, we hear time and time again from these DC swamp people

01:17:33.560 --> 01:17:39.560
that the tariffs are causing inflation, that the tariffs are negatively affecting our people,

01:17:39.560 --> 01:17:43.560
the tariffs are creating fair trade, not free trade.

01:17:43.560 --> 01:17:48.560
Every farmer I have spoken to, every manufacturer I have spoken to has said,

01:17:48.560 --> 01:17:52.560
we do not want handouts. What we want is an even playing field.

01:17:52.560 --> 01:17:57.560
And I'll tell you what, I will take Wisconsin products, the seventh district's products,

01:17:57.560 --> 01:18:04.560
over any product in the entire United States, but it is Congress's job to regulate commerce.

01:18:04.560 --> 01:18:10.560
And when I go into Congress, I will stand strong with President Trump's tariff agenda.

01:18:10.560 --> 01:18:15.560
But number two, I will make sure that the revenue generated from the tariffs

01:18:15.560 --> 01:18:20.560
will go to the businesses affected by the tariffs. Thank you.

01:18:20.560 --> 01:18:24.560
Ms. Bomb, to you now, what's an issue important to you? We haven't touched on yet.

01:18:24.560 --> 01:18:28.560
All right, I'm going to try to squeeze two in. We'll see how it goes.

01:18:28.560 --> 01:18:32.560
First is around supporting our small businesses.

01:18:32.560 --> 01:18:40.560
One in five people are bound by non-disclosure agreements. Sorry.

01:18:40.560 --> 01:18:42.560
One in five people are bound by non-compete agreements.

01:18:42.560 --> 01:18:46.560
There's 32 million people across the nation.

01:18:46.560 --> 01:18:51.560
This limits people from starting a small business. This limits competition.

01:18:51.560 --> 01:18:57.560
This limits the ability for people to pursue entrepreneurship.

01:18:57.560 --> 01:19:04.560
So I would like to see legislation passed around non-compete agreements being eliminated.

01:19:04.560 --> 01:19:07.560
Also, 1099 independent contractor work.

01:19:07.560 --> 01:19:13.560
This was regulated more heavily under the Biden administration and made harder for people

01:19:13.560 --> 01:19:17.560
to be able to work as an independent contractor under 1099.

01:19:17.560 --> 01:19:20.560
And that needs to get repealed.

01:19:20.560 --> 01:19:25.560
It needs to be so that people can actually work independently, have their side hustles,

01:19:25.560 --> 01:19:28.560
and work with different organizations.

01:19:28.560 --> 01:19:31.560
Housing is a huge thing too.

01:19:31.560 --> 01:19:38.560
At the federal level, I would support housing initiatives for small and medium-sized businesses

01:19:38.560 --> 01:19:42.560
that would help bring our workforce up here and allow them to hire employees

01:19:42.560 --> 01:19:48.560
and provide them housing so that we can make sure that our businesses are getting the workers that they need.

01:19:48.560 --> 01:19:54.560
And two, then those workers have housing that they need to be able to move and live in the area.

01:19:54.560 --> 01:19:56.560
Mrs. Evans, same question.

01:19:56.560 --> 01:19:59.560
Well, we need to make sure our country is secure.

01:19:59.560 --> 01:20:04.560
That we secure our southern border, that we continue to build and finish the wall,

01:20:04.560 --> 01:20:07.560
that we deport violent criminal illegal aliens.

01:20:07.560 --> 01:20:11.560
I've talked with many sheriffs and law enforcement officers throughout this campaign timeframe,

01:20:11.560 --> 01:20:15.560
honored to earn the backing of so many sheriffs, including right here in Oneida County,

01:20:15.560 --> 01:20:20.560
Grady Hartman, along with neighboring county violence of Jerry Ritter and former sheriff Joe Fath,

01:20:20.560 --> 01:20:23.560
along with Iron, Lincoln, and many other counties.

01:20:23.560 --> 01:20:29.560
And as I've spoken with them, they talked about how they see the effects of good border policy.

01:20:29.560 --> 01:20:37.560
When the border was open with President Biden, they saw an influx of drugs coming into our communities,

01:20:37.560 --> 01:20:40.560
targeting this in people, and they lost a lot of lives.

01:20:40.560 --> 01:20:43.560
We've lost a lot of lives in this district because of drugs.

01:20:43.560 --> 01:20:48.560
Now, the sheriffs have also said that as soon as that border went up and strong security took place once again,

01:20:48.560 --> 01:20:54.560
as soon as President Trump came into office, we saw a decrease, specifically a fentanyl,

01:20:54.560 --> 01:20:57.560
and a significant decrease in overdoses.

01:20:57.560 --> 01:21:02.560
Policy matters, securing the border matters, getting violent criminal legal aliens matters as well.

01:21:02.560 --> 01:21:04.560
We've lost innocent lives.

01:21:04.560 --> 01:21:08.560
Young Sheridan out in Chicago, a young woman just visiting with her friends,

01:21:08.560 --> 01:21:12.560
hanging out and was shot in the back of the head.

01:21:12.560 --> 01:21:17.560
These bad policies by Biden have had terrible repercussions on our communities.

01:21:17.560 --> 01:21:25.560
We've seen it time and again, we have to continue to champion President Trump's secure border policy and tough on immigration.

01:21:25.560 --> 01:21:28.560
Finally to Mr. Herrmanning.

01:21:28.560 --> 01:21:34.560
Well, I'm going to bring up the President because the President has done exactly what he said he was going to do.

01:21:34.560 --> 01:21:39.560
He's worked to secure the border, and he's done that.

01:21:39.560 --> 01:21:48.560
He's worked to bring about no tax on social security, no tax on overtime, no tax on tips.

01:21:48.560 --> 01:21:53.560
He's worked in so many areas that he promised during the 2024 election,

01:21:53.560 --> 01:22:00.560
and the only thing that Congress has to show for it is the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July.

01:22:00.560 --> 01:22:05.560
Now, it's great that they did that, but that was only implementing part of the President's agenda,

01:22:05.560 --> 01:22:10.560
because they made most of that legislation temporary, and they didn't actually go far enough,

01:22:10.560 --> 01:22:14.560
because Congress actually stymied the rest of the President's agenda.

01:22:14.560 --> 01:22:19.560
The President has put forth so many executive orders, and that's fantastic,

01:22:19.560 --> 01:22:24.560
because it's protected the American people and given us so many opportunities.

01:22:24.560 --> 01:22:33.560
Now Congress needs to finish its job and put some of those executive orders into actual legislation,

01:22:33.560 --> 01:22:39.560
so that they will last beyond the President's term, which ends in January of 2029.

01:22:39.560 --> 01:22:46.560
I am committed to helping him finish that job when I'm elected next January, and take off his next January.

01:22:46.560 --> 01:22:49.560
We now move to our closing statements.

01:22:49.560 --> 01:22:53.560
Ms. Baum, you will go first. Go ahead.

01:22:53.560 --> 01:23:00.560
Well, I want to take this moment to announce something pretty cool and exciting as part of my campaign.

01:23:00.560 --> 01:23:06.560
Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be embarking on a 400-mile biking tour through the district,

01:23:06.560 --> 01:23:10.560
starting here in Rhinelander and ending in Superior.

01:23:10.560 --> 01:23:16.560
I will be slowing down and really getting to know our different communities, different industries,

01:23:16.560 --> 01:23:22.560
different businesses and organizations, all and how they impact our economy up here,

01:23:22.560 --> 01:23:28.560
and I will be meeting with voters along the way to talk with them and hear from them directly.

01:23:28.560 --> 01:23:35.560
This tour is really a testament to taking things a little bit slower, really paying attention,

01:23:35.560 --> 01:23:39.560
really taking the time to listen and to get to know this district,

01:23:39.560 --> 01:23:43.560
instead of just buzzing through towns and driving through quickly

01:23:43.560 --> 01:23:47.560
and missing half of the things that make them so unique and interesting.

01:23:47.560 --> 01:23:53.560
And even just as I've been planning this, it's incredible to see all the different organizations and businesses and industries

01:23:53.560 --> 01:23:57.560
and how they differently impact each of our communities.

01:23:57.560 --> 01:24:02.560
You might have communities 20 miles from each other, but yet the economic impacts for those two communities

01:24:02.560 --> 01:24:04.560
could be completely different.

01:24:04.560 --> 01:24:11.560
And so I'm going to take this opportunity to really showcase what it is to be a resident of the Northwoods

01:24:11.560 --> 01:24:18.560
in the 7th Congressional District and what the needs of this district are and hear and take that right from

01:24:18.560 --> 01:24:22.560
the people who are living in it and showcase it to you.

01:24:22.560 --> 01:24:24.560
Mrs. Evan, your closing statement.

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I am the only candidate that has both the energy and the experience

01:24:28.560 --> 01:24:33.560
to properly get the job done and represent the people here in the 7th Congressional District.

01:24:33.560 --> 01:24:37.560
I'm the only candidate that's gone up against the federal bureaucracy under the Biden Administration

01:24:37.560 --> 01:24:42.560
and won, saving thousands of domestic manufacturing jobs right here in our state of Wisconsin.

01:24:42.560 --> 01:24:46.560
This is what it's going to take to defend our values in our way of life,

01:24:46.560 --> 01:24:49.560
continuing the great work of our Congressman Tom Tiffany,

01:24:49.560 --> 01:24:52.560
and champion the America First agenda alongside President Trump,

01:24:52.560 --> 01:24:58.560
standing for our values and pro-life 100% pro-life, making sure we protect our young children,

01:24:58.560 --> 01:25:02.560
make sure we protect them as they age to make sure we don't have men in girls' bathrooms

01:25:02.560 --> 01:25:06.560
or in their sports or in their locker rooms, make sure that we protect our God-given rights,

01:25:06.560 --> 01:25:10.560
including the Second Amendment, making sure our farmland is not infringed upon,

01:25:10.560 --> 01:25:14.560
bought by China or covered in solar panels or windmills.

01:25:15.560 --> 01:25:20.560
We need to make sure that we secure the southern border

01:25:20.560 --> 01:25:24.560
that we deport violent criminal illegal aliens and that we support law enforcement,

01:25:24.560 --> 01:25:28.560
and it's an honor in this race to be backed by shares from throughout this district

01:25:28.560 --> 01:25:31.560
who defend a way of life. That's what I'm fighting for.

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I grew up out in the country, amongst the farms, where neighbors had each other's backs.

01:25:36.560 --> 01:25:42.560
We solved our problems with common-sense solutions and the values of faith, family, and freedom were prevalent.

01:25:42.560 --> 01:25:45.560
I want that for my son, and I want that for all Wisconsinites,

01:25:45.560 --> 01:25:51.560
to have a chance to chase and achieve the American dream, which has slipped out of grass for so many.

01:25:51.560 --> 01:25:55.560
We've got a lot of work to do. I've committed to doing it. I've got skin in the game.

01:25:55.560 --> 01:25:58.560
And we've had a tremendous opportunity, but it's going to take hard work.

01:25:58.560 --> 01:26:01.560
It's going to take great, not a silver spoon or a red carpet,

01:26:01.560 --> 01:26:04.560
but going out, taking my proven lived-and-work experience

01:26:04.560 --> 01:26:07.560
to defend our way of life within the halls of Congress.

01:26:07.560 --> 01:26:09.560
This is my mission in serving you.

01:26:09.560 --> 01:26:13.560
So I ask for your support and for your vote on August 11th.

01:26:13.560 --> 01:26:16.560
Mr. Herman, your closing statement.

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So, President Trump made an endorsement before I was in the race.

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But I have been so honored to have earned the endorsement from people who have gotten to know me over the past 40 years.

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Women like Senator Mary Felskowski, several county party chair women across the 7th district,

01:26:37.560 --> 01:26:45.560
state representatives like my neighbors, Pat Snyder, fellow veterans, John Spiroz and Duke Tucker,

01:26:45.560 --> 01:26:49.560
and Brent Jacobson, who fought the COVID mandates

01:26:49.560 --> 01:26:52.560
when I was school board president in Mosany, and he was the mayor.

01:26:52.560 --> 01:26:57.560
My good friend, Senator Romaine Quinn, from up in the southwest part of the district.

01:26:57.560 --> 01:27:01.560
These folks have gotten to know me over the course of the past many years,

01:27:01.560 --> 01:27:03.560
not just during the course of the campaign,

01:27:03.560 --> 01:27:08.560
or since moving into the district, though for me, that was 41 years ago.

01:27:08.560 --> 01:27:11.560
People ask me why I'm running.

01:27:11.560 --> 01:27:14.560
I do have a two and a half year old grandson.

01:27:14.560 --> 01:27:18.560
When I think about what's going on halfway around the world right now,

01:27:18.560 --> 01:27:25.560
I do not want him to have to go fight a war that isn't finished by President Trump.

01:27:25.560 --> 01:27:32.560
Veterans are the last people who want to commit troops on the ground, or even to an area that is dangerous on the planet.

01:27:32.560 --> 01:27:38.560
And I bring to this seat to this race a high degree of financial literacy,

01:27:38.560 --> 01:27:45.560
and I am best positioned to bring financial awareness and literacy to Washington as your next congressman.

01:27:45.560 --> 01:27:47.560
I am ready on day one.

01:27:47.560 --> 01:27:49.560
I'm not running to be somebody.

01:27:49.560 --> 01:27:51.560
I am running to do something.

01:27:51.560 --> 01:27:53.560
And I ask for your vote on August 11th.

01:27:53.560 --> 01:27:56.560
Mr. Alfonso, your closing statement.

01:27:56.560 --> 01:27:59.560
We've heard about a lot of problems tonight.

01:27:59.560 --> 01:28:03.560
And from some of my answers, you might think that I'm a pessimist, but I'm not.

01:28:03.560 --> 01:28:09.560
I believe all Christians are called to be happy warriors, or in other words, optimists.

01:28:09.560 --> 01:28:12.560
I believe in the future of this country.

01:28:12.560 --> 01:28:18.560
I raise my daughter in the seventh district because I believe in the people of the seventh district.

01:28:18.560 --> 01:28:24.560
And my promise to you tonight is the same I made to President Trump when he gave me his endorsement.

01:28:24.560 --> 01:28:32.560
I will bring the energy of a young man, but the values of the people of the seventh district, faith and family.

01:28:32.560 --> 01:28:40.560
President Trump actually endorsed me twice to make sure that it was very clear he knew every single person in this race.

01:28:40.560 --> 01:28:42.560
He evaluated their experience.

01:28:42.560 --> 01:28:48.560
He evaluated more importantly their character and their conviction and their work ethic.

01:28:48.560 --> 01:28:55.560
And today, with the support of the president, I now ask for the support of the most important people.

01:28:55.560 --> 01:29:00.560
My neighbors in the seventh district, please come out and vote August 11th.

01:29:00.560 --> 01:29:05.560
Let's give President Trump two more years in office and not just talk about it.

01:29:05.560 --> 01:29:07.560
Thank you.

01:29:07.560 --> 01:29:12.560
As we wrap up tonight's debate, I want to thank all four candidates for taking part in this important conversation.

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And thank you at home for joining us.

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We will be hosting the Democratic primary debate next Tuesday, same time.

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The actual primary is on Tuesday, August 11th.

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We encourage everyone to research the candidates, make a plan to vote, and most importantly, participate in our democracy.

01:29:29.560 --> 01:29:32.560
On behalf of everyone at WJFW, thank you for watching.

01:29:32.560 --> 01:29:34.560
Have a great evening.

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All my souls.