- WE GO NOW TO THE HEART OF WISCONSIN'S 1ST DISTRICT
AND A LOOK AHEAD TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
AS WE JUST MENTIONED, TWO DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY WORKING
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN THE DISTRICT.
"HERE AND NOW" REPORTER MARISA WOJCIK SPOKE WITH CATHY MYERS
IN JANESVILLE AND RANDY BRYCE IN RACINE.
- AND ON THAT SCORE, I THINK WE HAVE ACHIEVED A HECK OF A LOT.
- WHEN HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN ANNOUNCED HE WOULD NOT BE
SEEKING RE-ELECTION IN THE FALL, THE DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS TO
WISCONSIN'S 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WERE OPTIMISTIC,
BUT NOT SURPRISED.
- MY INITIAL REACTION WAS ONE OF A FEELING OF OPPORTUNITY.
- IT HAD BEEN A RUMOR FOR MONTHS.
IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT.
SO I KNEW IT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
- WE HAD SOME INDICATION THAT THERE WAS SOME BIG NEWS COMING
AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN
ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING AT QUARTER TO 8:00.
- CATHY MYERS, A TEACHER, AND RANDY BRYCE, A FORMER IRON WORKER,
HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING FOR MONTHS AND ARE
CONVINCED THE BLUE WAVE WAS BEHIND RYAN'S DEPARTURE.
- I THINK PAUL RYAN WAS RUNNING SCARED.
I THINK HE SAW THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND REALIZED
THAT HE WAS GOING TO FACE A HUGE CHALLENGE THIS YEAR.
- BUT THAT'S WHY WE GOT IN.
IT WAS THE GOAL WHEN WE GOT IN LAST JUNE
WAS TO REPEAL AND REPLACE PAUL RYAN.
AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT WE DID PUSH HIM OUT.
- BOTH DEMOCRATS DISAGREE WITH RYAN ON ISSUES
LIKE HEALTH CARE AND TAXES.
- WHEN PAUL RYAN PROPOSED THE HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT HE PASSED
LAST YEAR IN THE HOUSE AND PEOPLE REALIZED THAT 48,900
OF HIS OWN CONSTITUENTS WOULD LOSE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE,
THEY WERE APPALLED.
- AFTER GIVING $1.5 TRILLION TO PEOPLE THAT DON'T NEED THAT
AS A BREAK, THEN SAYING WE CAN'T AFFORD WHERE WE'RE AT NOW
BECAUSE OF SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID,
SAYING WE'RE PAYING TOO MUCH INTO THAT,
CALLING THEM ENTITLEMENTS.
WELL THESE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE PAID INTO
THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
- MYERS AND BRYCE SEE RYAN'S RETIREMENT AS A BELLWETHER
FOR HOW THIS RACE IS IN DEMOCRATS' FAVOR.
- IT'S TRUE THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF REPUBLICANS
WINNING IN THIS DISTRICT.
BUT RECENT EVENTS LIKE THE RETIREMENT OF PAUL RYAN AND ALSO
TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY LEAD ME TO BELIEVE
THAT WE ARE IN EXCELLENT POSITION TO TAKE THIS SEAT.
- IT'S VERY WINNABLE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
IF THEY'RE ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE NUMBERS WE'VE SEEN FOR ALL THE
SPECIAL ELECTIONS, IT'S GOING TO BE A WIN FOR US IN NOVEMBER.
- EVEN WITH RYAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT,
BRYCE AND MYERS ARE PLANNING TO MAINTAIN THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
THEY'VE ALREADY LAID OUT.
- OUR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT VOTER CONTACT.
THAT HASN'T CHANGED A BIT.
- AS FAR AS STRATEGY, IT'S ALL ABOUT REACHING PEOPLE,
A PEOPLE-POWERED CAMPAIGN.
- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STRONGEST GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN
IN THE COUNTRY.
- ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS GET THIS MOMENTUM GOING
AND ALL THIS ENTHUSIASM TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE MAKE IT TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER.
- ALL OF THAT ENERGY IS GOING TO REALLY HELP THE MOMENTUM
THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IN OUR-- WITH OUR CAMPAIGN.
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO ADD TO IT.
- BECAUSE OF THAT ENERGY,
THE DEMOCRATS ARE FEELING THE WINDS OF CHANGE.
- YESTERDAY RIGHT AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT,
I'M WALKING OUTSIDE, JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THE WEATHER WAS.
IT WAS AS IF SPRING FINALLY ARRIVED IN WISCONSIN
AFTER A COLD WINTER.
BIRDS WERE CHIRPING
AND I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT IT WASN'T A COINCIDENCE.
- UNTIL NOVEMBER, DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS
WILL HAVE TO WEATHER A CONTENTIOUS RACE.
- THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION FOR CANDIDATES MYERS
AND BRYCE WILL BE HELD ON AUGUST 14TH.