we're going to ensure that it is.
>> Mandela Barnes. Thanks for coming in.
>> For sure. Thank you so much.
>> Statewide recognition also belongs to Zach's next
candidate interview. Former Wisconsin Economic
Development Corporation CEO Missy Hughes Missy Hughes.
>> Thanks so much for joining us.
>> Good to see you. >> So for voters who don't
know you, introduce you're running for governor.
>> Yeah. So I'm a mother of three. I've lived in
Wisconsin since almost 2000, and we raised our family
here. My husband and I working for Organic Valley,
and I worked for Organic Valley for 17 years. And
then Governor Evers asked if I was interested in
running economic development for the state.
So for the last six years, I was the head of Wisconsin
Economic Development Corporation.
>> Is there a single issue that drives you, or perhaps
a lane within the party that helps define you?
>> You know, it's all about the economy and building a
strong economy for all Wisconsinites. That's what
I did for years working at Organic Valley, helping
farmers stay on their farms, and then at Wedc building
an economy, whether it was in Milwaukee or Antigo or
Superior all around the state, working with
communities and businesses so that everyday
Wisconsinites can succeed. >> How money much do you
think you need to raise in order to to win this
primary? >> Oh, you know, the the
money factor in politics is really interesting. And I
have an incredible network. I think that the race is
going to be anywhere between 2 or $3 million for
the primary. But, you know, I'm just guessing. I'm not
sure that I have the best answer for that. I can tell
you that heading into the general, which is what I'm
focused on, it is going to be an incredible race. All
eyes of the nation are going to be on Wisconsin.
>> For you personally, how do you define the
difference between negative campaigning against a
member of your own party versus just defining the
differences between two candidates?
that Wisconsin has a lot of choices for the Democratic
primary, and my goal is to make sure that
Wisconsinites know my story. I have a story that is
fresh and different. I've never run for office before.
I'm the only one who is from outside of Madison or
Milwaukee, so I have a lot to say about myself, and
I'm going to be focused on telling my story.
>> For primary voters who are tuning in right now,
should they be looking for the the candidate where
they align most closely on the issues, or should they
be thinking about electability?
wisconsinite, I want to make sure that we keep the
governor's seat blue and that we have someone who
can lead the state and be successful in building an
economy for the state. And that's why just as as a
citizen of Wisconsin, I'm focused on electability and
making sure that we get the right candidate winning in
November. primary. Most of the
candidates have connections to Madison or Milwaukee,
southeast Wisconsin, or even your. Your position
ties you to Madison. What's your your goal? To reach
the rest of the state and let people know that you
you can connect with those other areas.
foremost, I live in western Wisconsin, so I am from
outside of Madison and Milwaukee. I have worked
all around the state. We've had impact in all 72
counties. So, you know, whether it's a small
business in Washburn that we've supported or
Milwaukee Tool or Fiserv in downtown Milwaukee, we've
had impact all around the state. And so I can speak
to creating a statewide coalition that carries the
day next November. >> What will be the impact
of Donald Trump on this election?
>> You know, I think what we're really seeing is just
a devastation in the economy. As I'm talking to
businesses, they are pulling back. They're not
rehiring people, they're stopping investments. And
as I'm talking to everyday Wisconsinites, they are
struggling to make ends meet. This is all because
of Donald Trump's policies. This is a man made crisis
that we are in right now. You know, looking at what's
happening with the farmers out in western Wisconsin,
we saw farmers plowing under soybeans, which is
insanity. And now Donald Trump is offering a bailout
to try to make up for his failed policies. And again,