>> THE RACE FOR A SEAT IN THE
U.S. SENATE BETWEEN INCUMBENT
RON JOHNSON AND CHALLENGER
MENDELA BARNES MAY DECIDE WHO
CONTROLS THE CHAMBER.
WE HAVE THIS REPORT ON THE
CONTEST BETWEEN THE SENIOR
CENTER AND THE STATE'S
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
>> THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS UP.
NUMEROUS POLLS SHOW INFLATION IS
THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN AMONG
VOTERS.
>> DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES.
>> POLITICAL CANDIDATES
INCLUDING RON JOHNSON AND
MENDELA BARNES WANT WIS VIS --
ISCONSIN VOTERS TO KNOW THEY'RE
LISTENING.
>> ACROSS THE STATE PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED WITH RISING COSTS.
>> BARNES IS CURRENTLY SERVING
AS THE STATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PLANS
FOR ADDRESSING INFLATION.
SENATOR JOHNSON SAID THE
GOVERNMENT IS HIGH GOVERNMENT
SPENDING.
>> STOP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY.
INFLATION IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND
OF UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSES IT.
IT'S MASSIVE DEBT AND SPENDING
AND WE HAVE TOO MANY DOLLARS
CHASING TOO FEW GOODS.
>> TARGETED TAX CHANGES ARE
NEEDED.
>> WE NEED A MIDDLE-CLASS TAX
CUT AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THE
WEALTH AMONG US PAY THEIR FAIR
SHARE.
THAT'S HOW WE GET TO A PLACE
WHERE FAMILIES CAN HAVE ECONOMIC
SECURITY.
>> ELEANOR POWELL SAID THE PAIN
MIGHT MOTIVATE THOSE WHO DON'T
NORMALLY VOTE.
>> BETWEEN THE PANDEMIC, ECONOMY
AND INFLATION, A LOT PEOPLE ARE
HURTING AND IT CAN BRING OUT
MORE DISCONTENTED VOTERS.
>> Reporter: THERE'S ANOTHER
ISSUE THAT IS HIGHLY MOTIVATING
IN THE CONTEST BETWEEN BARNES
AND JOHNSON AND THAT'S ABORTION.
>> WOMEN AND YOUNGER VOTERS ARE
UPSET BY THE OVERTURNING OF ROE
VS. WADE AND POLITICIAN POLITICS
IN WISCONSIN WE HAD A PRE
EXISTING BAN ON THE BOOKS.
THIS MOBILIZED A LOT OF MERENER
AND IT'S ANGER AND MOBILIZATION.
>> Reporter: BARNES IS CALLING
FOR A NEW FEDERAL LAW ALLOWING
ACCESS TO ABORTION.
TO ACHIEVE THIS HE WANTS TO END
THE FILIBUSTER IN THE CENTER.
FILIBUSTER IS A TACTIC USED TO
PREVENT A BILL FOR PASSING BY
STALLING IT WITH PROLONGED
DEBATE.
>> WE NEED TO END THE FILIBUSTER
TO CODIFY IT INTO LAW ONCE AND
FOR ALL AND WE CAN DO THIS IF WE
FLIP WISCONSIN AND ADD ONE MORE
SEAT TO THE 50/50 QUOTE, UNQUOTE
MAJORITY.
>> Reporter: JOHNSON WHO OPPOSES
ABORTION EXCEPT FOR CASES OF
RAPE AND IF THE MOTHER'S LAW IS
AT STAKE, SAID STATES SHOULD USE
REFERENDUMS.
>> HERE'S THE QUESTION, OF THE
PROFOUND MORAL ISSUE, AT WHAT
POINT DOES SOCIETY HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO SAVE A LIVE
AND BALANCE THE RIGHTS OF A
WOMAN VERSUS THE UNBORN CHILD.
>> Reporter: WISCONSIN LAW DOES
NOT CURRENTLY ALLOW DIRECT
REFERENDUMS.
>> THE SPEAKS WELL TRUMP WING OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
LIEUTENANT GOVERN BARNES AND
REPRESENTS A NEW GENERATION IN
AMERICAN POLITICS.
HE'S TRYING TO SPEAK TO YOUNGER
VOTERS, VOTERS OF COLOR, VOTERS
WHO OFTEN FEEL THEIR INTERESTS
AREN'T BEING WELL REPRESENTED IN
WASHINGTON.
>> Reporter: BARNES AND JOHNSON
TOOK VERY DIFFERENT PATHS INTO
POLITICS.
MENDELA BARNES WAS BORN AND
RAISED IN MILWAUKEE AND PROUD OF
HIS WORKING-CLASS ROOTS.
>> MOM WAS A TEACHER AND MY DAD
WORKED A SHIRT.
>> Reporter: AFTER WORKING IN
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING HE RAN FOR
OFFICE SEAT AND AFTER TWO HE RAN
UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR THE STATE
SENATE IN 2016 BEFORE WINNING
ELECTION AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
WITH TONY EVERS.
IN HIS RUN FOR U.S. SENATE
BARNES SAID HIS GOAL IS TO HELP
MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS.
>> TIMES ARE GETTING TOUGHER FOR
PEOPLE.
THINGS ARE MORE DIFFICULT.
IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO GET
AHEAD, ACCESS TO MIDDLE CLASS IS
DENYING MANY PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: AND RON JOHNSON WHO
LIVES IN OSHKOSH IS EQUALLY AS
PROUD OF HIS WORKING-CLASS
BACKGROUND.
>> WE SHOVELLED PATHWAYS.
>> Reporter: AND HE MEET RUSS
FINEGOLD AND IN THE SENATE,
JOHNSON SERVED ON HOMELAND
SECURITY AND BUDGET COMMITTEES.
YOU SAID YOU WOULD ONLY RUN FOR
TWO TERMS, JANUARY YOU DECIDED
YOU'D RUN AGAIN.
WHAT MADE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND?
>> OUR NATION'S COMING A PART.
TRUST ME, IT WAS MY PREFERENCE
AND MY WIFE'S VERY STRONG
PREFERENCE TO SERVE OUT THE
SECOND TERM AND RETURN TO A
PRIVATE LIFE.
I THINK I'M IN A POSITION WHERE
I'VE HAD SUCCESS AS A
U.S. SENATOR AND HELPED IMPROVE
THINGS.
>> Reporter: WHILE BOTH ARE
TRYING TO STAY ON MESSAGE,
JOHNSON AND BARNES HAVE PLENTY
OF CRITICISM FOR EACH OTHER.
>> HE'S A RADICAL LEFTIST.
HE'S TRYING TO HIDE THAT FROM
WISCONSIN ITS.
>> Reporter: THIS IS ABOUT AN
OUT OF TOUCH POLITICIAN WHO
FAILED TO DELIVER FOR WISCONSIN
AND PUT HIMSELF AHEAD OF ALL OF
US EVERY CHANCE.
>> Reporter: THE CANDIDATES
AREN'T THE ONLY ONES GETTING IN
THE MUD SLINGING.
OUTSIDE GROUPS ARE RUNNING THEIR
OWN ADS.
>> RON JOHNSON USED HIS OFFICE
TO SCOOP UP MILLIONS AND MENDELA
BARNES SUPPORTS --
>> Reporter: PEOPLE SHOULD BE
WARY.
>> POLITICAL ADS ARE AN EXEMPT
CATEGORY WHERE PEOPLE CAN SAY
WHAT THEY WANT AND THERE'S NO
OBLIGATION FOR ANYTHING TO BE
FACTUAL.
BUYERS AND VIEWERS SHOULD BE
AWARE JUST BECAUSE IT'S ON TV
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S TRUE.
>> WE KNEW THE OTHER SIDE WOULD
MAKE UP LIVES ABOUT THE TO SCARE
YOU.
YOU'VE SEEN THE ADS ATTACKING
ME, THEY'RE ALL LIES.
>> Reporter: STILL BOTH
CANDIDATES HAVE THEIR
CONTROVERSIES.
JOHNSON HAS COME UNDER FIRE FOR
SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT
COVID-19 AND THE PLAN TO GIVE
THEN-VICE PRESIDENT A MAKE PENCE
OF FAKE SLATE OF PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTE
EELEC
EELECTED PEOPLE AND THERE'S TWO
INDEPENDENT SENATORS.
GIVEN THE SPLIT, WISCONSIN
ELECTION IS KEY.
>> CONTROL OF THE SENATE HINGES
ON OUR RAZOR THIN MAJORITY.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
DETERMINE WHO CONTROLS THE
SENATE.
WISCONSIN MAY BE THE BALL GAME
HERE.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF
THE RACE YOU SHOULD SHOW UP ON
ELECTION DAY.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO