- The following program is part
of our 2018 Wisconsin Vote election coverage.
*
- Hello, I'm Jon Miskowski,
Director of Wisconsin Public Television.
One of the most important things we do
is to bring timely information to the people of Wisconsin.
This is especially true at election time.
Once again, Wisconsin Public Television
is offering political candidates
this platform to talk directly
to our viewers across Wisconsin.
We've invited all statewide candidates
appearing on the November 6th ballot
to make an unedited statement.
We've invited candidates for Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General,
Secretary of State, and State Treasurer
to participate.
Their order of appearance in this presentation
was determined randomly.
If you'd like more information
about any of the candidates running for office in Wisconsin,
watch Wisconsin Public Television,
listen to Wisconsin Public Radio
and visit our election website: WisconsinVote.org.
Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 6th
and thank you for watching Wisconsin Public Television.
- We live in unprecedented times.
Climate change is here
and it is only going to continue getting more severe.
Species are going extinct at an alarming rate.
Coral reefs are undergoing a massive die-off.
Every baby that comes into the world today
is born with industrial toxins already in its body.
But what can we do about it?
We thought we were well on our way to defeating racism,
sexism, and nationalism,
yet here they are again.
We've spent trillions of dollars on the war on terror,
but it never ends.
We've spent billions on the war on drugs,
yet nearly 50,000 people a year
are dying from an opiate epidemic
that was largely fueled by our own pharmaceutical companies.
We work hard to carve out a little part of the world
that we want to call home,
but we never seem to get there.
Instead, the vast majority of us live paycheck to paycheck,
worried that the next time we get sick,
or the car breaks down,
we'll have to decide between feeding ourselves
or paying the bills.
How did this happen?
Where did we go wrong?
How do we fix it?
I'm not going to lie to you
and tell you that I have all the answers.
I know that I don't.
But I do know that what we are doing isn't working.
My name is Arnie Enz
and I'm running for Governor
because I am sick and tired
of how our elected leaders don't even want to talk about
the most important problems that we face as a society,
let alone try to fix them.
To address this, I'm running on a simple platform
that aims to reform our government
so that we can begin to transform ourselves
and our society.
The first thing we must do is to take back our government
because right now, it doesn't represent us.
It represents wealthy individuals,
corporations, and powerful special interest groups
that give money to buy political influence
and to control decision making.
This system is corrupt and broken.
It won't be easy to change,
but what choice do we have?
Continue with business as usual?
If you want that, vote for Scott Walker or Tony Evers.
They will continue to do
what Republicans and Democrats have always done,
and you will just get more of the same.
But if you want to fix it,
you should consider voting for me.
I am not more of the same.
Go to the website for any other candidate
and tell me what you see on their home page?
You see a 'donate' button.
You won't find one on my website.
I am not taking money from anyone.
Ever.
Because I'm not indebted to anyone,
I can do what a clear majority of people agree we should do
and get the money and the corruption out of politics.
We can do this by passing the American Anti-Corruption Act
and by implementing other reform proposals
as listed on my website.
The second thing we need to do,
is to leave it better than we found it.
We don't do that right now.
We live for today and we are burning through the ecological
and economic inheritance of future generations.
We are stealing from the future.
From the future of our children and grandchildren.
When are we going to stop it?
When are we going to seek to live in balance with each other
and with the world that we all depend on for our survival?
Lastly, we need to learn to be kind.
Not only to others, but to ourselves.
In order to build a truly sustainable world,
we need to learn to cultivate our compassion for one another.
Our traditions all teach kindness.
We teach it to our kids.
Why don't we start doing it ourselves?
In closing,
I'd like to ask for your vote on November 6th.
For we are at a crossroads,
and the time we have left to choose is quickly running out.
But the real choice
isn't between Democrats or Republicans.
Continuing down the path of politics as usual
will only lead to more divisiveness,
more polarization and more distractions
from our fundamental inability
to live in concert with each other
and with the earth on which all life depends.
To borrow a quote from Lyndon Baines Johnson,
"These are the stakes.
"To make a world in which our children can live,
"or go into the dark.
"We must either love each other
or we must die."
- Hello.
My name is Phil Anderson, and I'm running for Governor.
Despite what the biased media coverage would have you believe,
my campaign is viable and growing.
We'll be on the ballot in November,
and Wisconsinites have a serious choice to make.
I have the freedom to truly represent citizens.
Nobody with a R or D after their name
has that same freedom.
Republicans and Democrats are handed bills
they're expected to pass,
without reading, let alone writing.
They may make promises,
but they're not free to keep them.
This freedom may be a handicap during campaign season,
as I can't be bought or paid for,
but as your governor, the freedom to act
on behalf of the citizens who elected me
is priceless.
I have the freedom to truly put parents
back in control of their children's educations.
Scott Walker has expanded Common Core, a federal program,
by tying it to his voucher program.
Tony Evers has presided over a system
with some of the worst educational outcomes
for black families in the entire country.
I have an education plan
that puts parents and local taxpayers back in control,
called Universal Open Enrollment,
which empowers all families, regardless of income,
to take back control of their children's education.
Find out more at TeamGuv.org-- That's t-e-a-m-g-u-v dot org.
I have the freedom to give money and power
back to local government.
Those of you who have voted Republican,
is Scott Walker acting conservatively
by preempting local decisions on land use,
schools, transportation regulations?
To those of you who identify as Democrats,
Tony Evers talks about local control,
but at the same time proposes massive tax increases;
a massive transfer of wealth and authority
from people and local governments
to the state.
I have made a firm commitment to local control,
and do not have the political and financial constraints
of being bought and paid for.
The concept of local control informs every position I take,
and every initiative I'll undertake.
I also have the freedom to broker deals
between Republicans and Democrats
in the state legislature.
When the people want cannabis legalized
and criminal justice reform,
I'll overcome Republican opposition to make that happen.
When the people want more local control,
more educational choices, and lower taxes,
I'll overcome Democratic reluctance.
I'll use the bully pulpit and the line item veto
to negotiate with both big parties for the people.
That is my commitment to you.
I also have the freedom to say no to crony capitalism.
I'm on record as opposing the Foxconn deal,
and all other government handouts
that rob the average Wisconsin taxpayer and small business
to reward a foreign corporation.
While Tony Evers is also against Foxconn,
the evidence of history shows that if a Democrat is in power,
the WEDC might go away,
but will return as the Department of Commerce,
which had the same goals, with different cronies, as the WEDC.
This mechanism is how Scott Walker
or Tony Evers would be paying back
the massive amount of support received from special interests,
both union and corporate.
You see, I trust the residents and small businesses
of Wisconsin
to make good decisions with their money,
supporting their local communities and businesses.
Finally, I have the freedom to fight
for true criminal justice reform.
We need to end the war on drugs.
Neither Walker nor Evers has made a firm commitment to do so.
I'll get recreational cannabis legalized
and start pardoning those in jail
for non-violent drug crimes.
I'll end mandatory minimum sentencing
and restore jury nullification.
I'll help expunge records,
and restore voting rights to all citizens,
as long as they haven't committed voter fraud.
That is my commitment to you.
There is much to do to restore justice
and good government in Wisconsin.
You can make this campaign not only viable,
but we can win
for Wisconsin, for you, and for all of us.
Vote for me, elect me,
and I'll be committed to you,
not to party politics and big money interests.
That is my commitment to you.
I ask for your vote on November 6th.
Thanks, and follow along at TeamGuv.org.
Thank you.
- Hi, I'm Tony Evers,
and I'm running to be the next governor
of the state of Wisconsin.
As many of you know, I grew up in Plymouth,
and I'm a proud Plymouth progressive
who first learned to love cheddar cheese
while working in a cheese factory for my first job.
Since then,
I've spent my entire career fighting for Wisconsin kids.
First as a teacher, then as a principal,
and now as state superintendent of Wisconsin's public schools.
From my first job teaching in Baraboo
to living and working across the state
from Tomah to Oakfield, Oshkosh and Verona,
some of the most memorable moments of my life
happened in the classroom.
It's where I first met my wife, Kathy, in kindergarten,
and it's where I learned that what's best for our kids
is what's best for our state.
It's also where I realized that
no matter where our family lived in Wisconsin,
we were always welcomed with open arms.
We were treated with kindness, compassion, and respect.
Now that's the Wisconsin I know and love.
But I'm concerned about what's happening in politics,
and I believe we've lost sight of what's important:
our Wisconsin values
and all of the things that bring us together.
We're all sick and tired of politics as usual--
of politicians who will say anything to get re-elected,
and all of the arguing, divisiveness, and negativity.
And as I've traveled across the state
talking to folks all across Wisconsin,
it's been clear that, as Wisconsinites,
what unites us is stronger than what divides us.
And that's why I'm running for governor.
We've had enough of empty, election-year promises.
We've had enough of divide and conquer approach
to governance.
And we've had enough of the typical, career politicians
who put campaign donors and their own political ambitions
before the people of Wisconsin.
That's why it's time for a change this November.
The bottom line is this
that if we continue to focus on whether a solution
is a Republican idea or a Democrat idea,
we'll continue to fail.
We have serious issues facing our state,
and we can't wait any longer.
So, I'm not going to re litigate past elections or negativity,
I'm focused on our future.
And I'm going to lead by example
by talking about the issues
Wisconsin families care most about
like skyrocketing costs for healthcare,
fully funding our public schools,
and fixing our crumbling roads and infrastructure.
As governor,
I will protect coverage for the 2.4 million Wisconsinites
who have pre-existing conditions,
and with my Pay Less for Rx plan,
I'll reduce prescription drug costs for Wisconsin families.
Instead of forcing more than a million Wisconsinites
to raise their own property taxes,
I'm also going to fully fund
our public schools at every level.
Finally, I'm going to stop taking
the "my way or the highway" approach to transportation.
That's not leadership and you know that.
And it's not how I'm going to govern.
I've said all along
that all reasonable options are on the table
and foreclosing options
before anyone has a chance to sit down together
doesn't foster the spirit of compromise or collaboration.
We have to work across the aisle
with Republicans and Democrats alike
to find a long-term, bipartisan solution
to our transportation funding crisis that works for everyone,
and I'm going to get it done as governor.
At the end of the day, my vision for Wisconsin
is not about Democrat values or Republican values.
It's about our shared Wisconsin values.
We cannot wait any longer
to address these pressing issues facing our state,
and it's time for a change.
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this.
I hope I can count on your support this November.
Let's get to work.
- Hello, I'm Maggie Turnbull,
and I'm running for Wisconsin Governor
as an Independent.
Forty-nine years ago,
three men got into a spaceship,
and they left Earth.
For five days, they traversed the darkness of space,
and with one small step,
humans became the first Earth-born creature
ever to walk on another world.
Seeing their home planet suspended above them in space,
millions of people on Earth
gained a new appreciation
for how precious and how small the Earth really is.
As an astrophysicist
who searches for life on other worlds,
I see these men as my forebears.
Their courage,
and the giant leap they made for humanity, is riveting.
But today in 2018,
our challenges are lot more complicated
than a simple trip to the Moon.
In Wisconsin we're seeing the contamination of our waterways,
the loss of small farms, schools closing,
roads falling apart,
and the most extreme racial disparities in the country.
These problems are serious,
but I have so much hope for our state,
because Wisconsin is also home to some of the most generous,
hardworking, optimistic people in the nation.
When we see a need in our community, we don't fret about
who is a Republican and who is a Democrat.
We pool our resources and we help each other out.
Our state government should reflect that same spirit.
That's the reason I am running for governor
and it's the reason I'm running as an Independent.
I want to provide you, as a voter,
with an entirely different option this November.
I want to move us away from a two-party system
that damages our social fabric.
When our closest relationships are stressed
because our leaders are consistently
choosing battle over building the common ground,
it's time for a change.
So, goal # 1:
Create a government that builds the common ground.
We need this for our economy, our environment,
and every social issue we're currently facing.
How do we do that?
First, we run our elections on Ranked Choice Voting.
That means that when you vote, you rank all the candidates
from your favorite to your least favorite.
If your favorite candidate
doesn't get enough votes to stay in the race,
your vote will still go to your second choice.
The candidate who wins is the one who attracts people
from across the spectrum,
not just the left or the right.
That means candidates
have to start showing up for community forums.
And it means that third-party candidates
can be taken seriously.
It gives your vote a lot more power.
As governor of the state of Wisconsin,
my first executive order will be issued on January 7, 2019,
creating the Governor's Commission
on Election Procedures to draft an Elections Repair Bill
implementing Ranked Choice Voting
and Automatic Voter Registration
for all U.S. citizens living in Wisconsin.
Within my first 100 days in office,
I will call a Special Legislative Session
to act upon the Elections Repair Bill,
and make these changes real.
Whether you lean right, left, or independent,
I will always work for you.
Yes, as a hunter, as a paddler,
I want to protect our wildlife and waterways.
Yes, I want strong schools,
with strong science and arts programs,
and basic health care for everyone.
But more than any of that,
I want you to have a government that responds to your vote.
Wisconsin is such a beautiful place to call home.
And I believe that one day,
we will travel beyond the moon to the stars.
But before we can do that,
we need a government that creates stability and peace.
I hope the people of Wisconsin will embrace
a new spirit of independence on November 6th,
and cast their one precious vote with all their hearts.
Let's show the world what it means
to Let Wisconsin Shine.
I'm Maggie Turnbull and I'll see you on November 6th.
- Hi, I'm Michael White.
I am the Wisconsin Green Party candidate for governor.
I'm the one you haven't heard about.
I am a physician.
I care for patients every day.
But health care costs are out of control.
We don't have the best health care system in the world,
only the most expensive.
We must reduce drug costs for Wisconsin residents.
You should not have to choose
between your food and your medicine.
I'm also a retired military officer,
having served in two services.
I have served at sea, and overseas.
I helped prepare for war.
I commanded a hospital in Korea.
I grew up in Detroit, and I worked in an auto plant.
I was a union member.
I know why they are important.
But I also ran a small business.
My mother was a single parent and a teacher.
We lived through the 1967 Detroit riots.
During medical school,
I was mugged and pistol-whipped on the streets of Detroit
so I do understand crime.
Now, I live in a rural area in Wisconsin.
My neighbors are farmers.
I am a bee keeper and I raise chickens.
I'm running for governor on the issues.
I am sick and tired of our two major parties
spending all their time fighting and getting nothing done.
It is time to put solutions ahead of party politics.
It is time for a civil conversation.
My issues are climate change, health care, education,
a living wage, election integrity,
and protection of our environment
and the future of our children.
There is no planet B.
Climate change is quite real and it is happening now.
My namesake, Hurricane Michael, was a category 4 storm
because of climate change and warming oceans.
Weather disasters are only going to get worse.
The coral reefs are dying.
Ocean life is dying.
We are running out of time to fix things.
We have only 12 to 15 years to turn things around.
We cannot wait for the federal government,
the Republicans or the Democrats.
We have to start now at our level.
We can do this.
If we don't do it, our children are doomed.
It's that serious.
Our education system needs reform and attention
at every level.
I put students first.
I also own guns
and I support the 2nd Amendment.
No one will take my guns away from me.
But it's time that our children stop getting slaughtered
with automatic weapons.
Because of the Green Party and the 2016 Stein recount,
your vote is now secure.
There will be a 5% random hand count of votes this November,
before the vote is certified.
That came about because of Green Party efforts
to ensure election integrity,
not the Republicans or the Democrats.
I stand for election integrity and transparency.
I will reduce barriers to voting.
I stand for the rights of our Native American citizens,
who have been ignored and their treaty rights violated.
We need to get non-violent drug offenders out of our prisons.
We're not going to win the war on drugs
by putting everyone in prison.
I support a minimum wage that someone can actually live on.
When did the party of Lincoln
become the party of "build a wall" at the border?
When did the party of Roosevelt
become bought and paid for by Wall Street?
I would put principle, people, and the planet
ahead of party politics and private profit.
We need to get corporate money out of politics.
Votes should earned, and not bought.
The governor doesn't write the laws.
She or he must persuade and lead by example.
The governor can bring people together and can empower change.
There's no planet B.
We're poisoning our water, destroying our land,
fouling our air for corporate profits.
We give tax cuts to companies,
but we don't get the jobs that were promised.
We are running out of time to fix this.
I will put people, planet, and principle first.
Always.
Stay calm and vote Green.
- I'm Patrick Baird
and I'm running for lieutenant governor
for the Libertarian Party.
Journalists and supporters of the two-party status quo
argue that because they supposedly can't win,
there's no point in paying attention to third parties.
Let me give you just one example
of why limiting coverage to two corporate-sponsored parties
is a bad idea: healthcare reform.
Scott Walker wants to bail out Obamacare
with $200 million in taxpayer money
to lower premiums
for a handful of middle-class voters
whose incomes put them just above the line
for regular subsidies.
This is a bribe to voters
who will be going through open enrollment
right around the election time
and it's also a direct handout to insurance companies.
Tony Evers and the Democrats
want to accept the Medicaid expansion
and are proposing more spending and expanding mandates.
More government interference in healthcare markets,
more cost to taxpayers, less freedom for consumers.
Only the Libertarian Party stands against
government meddling in the healthcare market.
This is not a radical position.
This was actually the stated position of the Republican Party
before they became corrupted by insurance company
and big pharma donations
and by the lure of dangling goodies to taxpayers.
This viewpoint, however,
will not be offered during the two-party debates
offered by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
Instead you will have two candidates
pretending to show how much they care for voters
by offering differing forms of handouts
and government interventions.
Platitudes and sound bites versus real insight.
Speaking of handouts,
how about the millions of dollars
that flow into the bank accounts of broadcasters
every election year
from corporate-sponsored campaign advertising?
Or how about the $147 million tax break broadcasters got
from the Wisconsin legislature last year?
I'm sure none of that influences broadcasters'
and journalists' views
on which parties are newsworthy,
which issues get addressed or which viewpoints get ignored.
Libertarians believe that if you want to get corporate
and special interest money out of politics,
you need to get government out of people's lives.
The Libertarian Party offers bold and innovative ideas
on other issues as well.
We favor ending the war on drugs
through total legalization of marijuana
and decriminalization of harder drugs.
We favor universal open enrollment for K-12 students,
giving parents a real choice in how their kids are educated.
We propose eliminating the state income tax.
None of these ideas are crazy;
all have been implemented elsewhere.
My running mate Phillip Anderson
would represent real change in Madison.
Not only because of fresh ideas,
but also because he would be able to work with both parties
in the legislature to get things done.
Without the burden of partisanship
or special interest pressure,
Phil could lead Wisconsin to greater personal freedom,
local independence, and reduced power in Madison.
Don't let the media and their corporate sponsors
make your election choices for you.
For more information on the Libertarian Party,
check out TeamGuv.org.
That's TeamGuv, g-u-v.org.
Thank you.
- I'm Tiffany Anderson
and I'm running for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin.
I am running on the Green Party ticket
with gubernatorial candidate Michael White.
I chose the Green Party
because the Green Party does not accept corporate donations.
This demonstrates the party is prioritizing people
over corporations and special interests.
By not taking corporate donations,
I am able to listen to and work for the people of Wisconsin
without being beholden to the monied interests
that fund a majority of their campaigns
of both the Republicans and Democrats.
I will fight for policies such cannabis legalization
and BadgerCare for all without the financial influence
of insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
I will fight for increasing the minimum wage
to at least $15 an hour
and environmental protections
without big business pressuring me
into compromising the values and needs of this state.
There are four parts to my Green vision for the future.
Number one is to legalize cannabis.
The Wisconsin State Department of Revenue
has estimated an additional $138 million
in tax revenue per a year by 2021
if we legalize recreational cannabis.
You can see the benefits of the legalization
by looking at the success of states
who have already done so.
If you look at Colorado,
who since the legalization of marijuana
has added $2.4 billion to their economy
and over 18,000 full-time jobs
both directly in the marijuana business and related fields,
the benefits are clear.
This could be the huge economic boost
that Wisconsin needs as well having positive effects
on social justice and personal freedom.
Number two is to fully fund our schools.
I will make sure K-12 education is fully funded
and institute a fair funding formula
to ensure an equal opportunity of education
for all students in Wisconsin
instead of one based on the income of the community.
I will also establish and work toward
a goal of tuition-free secondary education
for all of Wisconsin including an immediate transition
to tuition-free technical, vocational,
and two-year colleges.
Number three is affordable health care.
Wisconsin needs a health care system
that works for the people instead of insurance
and pharmaceutical companies.
I will fight for BadgerCare for all
so that everyone has access
to medical treatments and prescriptions
regardless of their employment or income.
Number four is
environmental protections and renewable energy.
I will ensure that public land, water,
and other natural resources are held in trust
for the public and used for the common good.
I will stop giving our natural resources to companies,
such as Foxconn, who seek to profit from them
without regard to how it impacts our environment.
I will also work towards a statewide energy independence
and promote energy research to bring Wisconsin closer
to a self-sustaining energy system.
As lieutenant governor,
I will bring a pragmatic and compassionate perspective
that our state desperately needs.
As someone struggling in an economy
that is rigged for the wealthy
and against everyday working people,
I understand how the citizens of Wisconsin are feeling.
I understand the difficulty of paying student loans,
finding decent housing, and affording healthcare.
It is getting harder and harder
to maintain a reasonable standard of living
with stagnant wages and increasing costs.
As a staffing professional,
I see people every day try to survive
in an unproductive Wisconsin economy.
Wisconsin needs to work for the people
and stop lining the pockets of the wealthy and powerful who
can afford to buy the corrupt politicians in this state.
Wisconsin's priorities need to change.
Vote November 6th for Michael White
and Tiffany Anderson
for a progressive Green future in Wisconsin.
- This November,
Wisconsin voters have a choice to make.
Do we think the past eight years have been good enough?
Or do we want things to be much, much better?
My name is Mandela Barnes
and I'm running for lieutenant governor
because I know that better is possible.
And working with Tony Evers as governor,
through ideas, energy, and organizing,
we can make the office of lieutenant governor
work for all of Wisconsin.
Wisconsinites are struggling.
People are working harder than ever,
but their paychecks don't always reflect their hard work.
Because of deep cuts made by Governor Walker
and Republicans in the legislature,
our schools are critically underfunded.
As a result,
more than one million Wisconsinites
have raised their own property taxes
to provide the resources they aren't getting from the Capitol.
Healthcare costs are more than so many families can afford.
And specialists in substance use
and mental health are in short supply.
Our roads and public infrastructure
are at dangerous levels of disrepair.
We must do better.
Now I could go on for a long time
about all the things our current leadership
has done wrong,
but what's more important is what we can all do to fix it.
This campaign is about leading with a vision;
a vision of restoring opportunity across Wisconsin
and putting our people first.
What does that mean?
Funding our public schools.
Fixing our broken infrastructure.
Making sure all Wisconsinites have access
to comprehensive and affordable healthcare.
Fighting for everyone in our state
to have the opportunity to get ahead.
Elections are about choices, but so is governing.
And for the past eight years in Wisconsin,
we've made choices that have put foreign corporations
and special interests ahead of hard-working Wisconsin families.
With Tony Evers and I in office,
that changes on day one.
We'll start putting our people first again,
and invest in Wisconsin.
You may ask,
How's a lieutenant governor gonna make all of this happen?
And quite frankly, I can't do it alone.
It's going to take all of us, working together,
to bring the change we need to Wisconsin.
I'm proud to run on my track record
as an organizer and as a legislator.
I'm running with a positive vision for our future.
And I'm honored to be on the ticket
with our next governor, Tony Evers.
We share a common vision for Wisconsin.
And together, we'll work with both Democrats and Republicans
to bring people together and to turn that vision into reality.
It's time to put Wisconsin families first.
That's why I'm asking for you to vote for me and Tony.
A proven team that can deliver results for our communities
and bring real change to our state.
- Hi, I'm Brad Schimel.
When I ran for attorney general in 2014,
I was law enforcement's choice
with more than 90 elected sheriffs
and district attorneys supporting me.
Now, four years later,
law enforcement has seen the results.
And this time, I have the public endorsement
of more than 110 elected sheriffs
and district attorneys,
including more than 20 elected Democrats and Independents.
These law enforcement leaders trust my 29 years
as a Wisconsin prosecutor,
and have been part of the success
we've had at the Department of Justice
over the last four years.
Together, we're working hard every day
to help make Wisconsin safer and stronger.
I have led through collaboration and innovation.
And we've made significant progress
over the last four years.
One of my proudest accomplishments
as attorney general
is solving the state's rape kit backlog.
As a career prosecutor
who spent the largest part of my career
working in the sensitive crimes unit,
I know the value of testing forensic evidence
because I've used rape kits to hold criminals accountable
and deliver justice for victims.
During my time as attorney general,
we took a 25-year problem
and solved it in less than three years.
No previous attorney general,
Democrat or Republican, ever tackled this problem.
I took on the problem and got results,
and the plan we've put in place
will ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
And while I'm proud of our work testing old criminal evidence,
addressing sexual assault on our college campuses,
fighting the opioid epidemic,
cracking down on meth and other drug distribution,
and prosecuting internet crimes against children,
protecting our seniors and so much more,
I know there is more work to be done.
Over the course of my 29 years as a Wisconsin prosecutor,
I've handled more than 15,000 cases.
In fact, I tried more jury trials
as an intern in the Waukesha County DA's office
than my opponent has in his entire life.
My opponent has never prosecuted a criminal case in Wisconsin,
not one, ever,
and his track record working for the federal government
in Baltimore
shows he's weak on criminals and drug dealers.
My nearly 30 years as a law enforcement leader in Wisconsin
has taught me that
we will not arrest our way out of this drug epidemic,
which is why I've focused on prevention and treatment,
as well as law enforcement.
The nationally-recognized
prescription drug prevention campaign, Dose of Reality,
which we launched at Wisconsin Department of Justice in 2015
is now being used in six other states,
both Democrat and Republican states.
The medication disposal program we started in 2015 is,
by many measures,
the most successful program in the nation.
With your help, and the help of law enforcement,
we've disposed of more than 400,000 pounds
of unused medications over the last four years.
We've made a record investment in our state's
treatment alternative and diversion programs,
and nearly doubled the number of treatment courts,
which are now in 51 of 72 Wisconsin counties,
and two tribal communities.
And while prevention and treatment are key,
we're ramping up enforcement efforts,
locking up drug traffickers
and holding pharmaceutical companies
accountable.
My experiences and my faith guide my approach
as a public servant.
At DOJ, we are part of a team.
I've used my experience to work closely
with local law enforcement leaders
to help them keep Wisconsin families safe,
and we have gotten results.
That's why I'm the overwhelming choice
of law enforcement across Wisconsin.
I'm running for re-election to continue our great work
and I would be honored to have your vote on November 6th.
- I'm Josh Kaul and I'm running
to be Wisconsin's next Attorney General.
I grew up in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac
in a family that was deeply involved in public service.
I had the opportunity to spend part of my career
in public service as well.
I was a federal prosecutor,
and I prosecuted drug traffickers,
gang members, and murderers,
and worked to make communities safer.
I've also gone to court to challenge laws
that made it harder to vote.
And now I'm running for Attorney General
because I want my family and families across Wisconsin
to live in a state that's safer and stronger
than we're on track for right now.
First, I believe we need new leadership
when it comes to fighting crime
and getting justice for Wisconsinites.
In Brad Schimel's first year as Attorney General,
Wisconsin received millions of dollars
to address our backlog of untested rape kits.
Over 4,000 kits needed to be tested.
But after Schimel had been in office for two years,
only nine of those kits had been tested.
And while progress has finally been made,
Schimel's mishandling of the backlog has meant that
justice has been delayed for survivors
and that dangerous criminals have remained on the streets
longer than they should have.
We need an Attorney General who will ensure that
getting justice for survivors of sexual assault is a priority.
We also have an opioid epidemic that continues to get worse
and a growing meth problem.
They've been devastating for families in Wisconsin,
and we need a more effective response.
I believe we need to ensure that enforcement efforts
are targeting large-scale drug traffickers.
That we need to expand access to treatment
and continue investing in prevention.
And that we need an AG who is finally serious
about holding the pharmaceutical companies accountable
for their role in the opioid epidemic.
We need to do more to address school safety as well.
My opponent has suggested that we consider arming teachers,
and he's criticized gun-free school zones.
I think what we need
are some common-sense gun-safety measures,
like universal background checks and a ban on bump stocks.
As Attorney General,
I will fight against any effort to arm teachers in Wisconsin.
Second, we need an Attorney General who's serious
about enforcing the laws
that protect our environment and consumers.
My opponent has overseen a significant drop in fines
collected from polluters.
I believe that in 2018 in Wisconsin,
no parent should have to worry about the safety of the water
their kids are drinking.
And that when polluters break the law and make a mess,
they should expect to be held accountable.
Third, we need an AG who's independent
and a watchdog when it comes to fighting public corruption;
when it comes to ensuring that Foxconn lives up
to the terms of the deal that it's agreed to;
and when it comes to standing up for our rights and protections.
We need an AG we can count on to stand up for our values,
not one who consistently stands with the Trump Administration.
But that hasn't been Brad Schimel's approach
to the AG's office.
And his record speaks for itself.
Schimel is one of the leaders of a lawsuit
that's seeking to invalidate the Affordable Care Act.
If that suit is successful,
people with pre-existing conditions
will lose protections.
Health-insurance companies would once again
be able to deny coverage
on the basis of a pre-existing condition.
Young adults would lose the guarantee
that they can remain on their parents' coverage
until they turn 26.
Schimel has also fought against guaranteed overtime pay
for people who put in the work
and make between about $23,000 and $47,000 per year.
And Brad Schimel has spent about $83,000 of taxpayer money
on promotional items, including promotional stress balls,
custom-made fortune cookies,
and about $10,000 worth of gold-plated coins
with his name on them.
In Brad Schimel's first two years in office,
he spent about $10,000 on fake coins,
but only nine of the kits in our rape kit backlog were tested.
To me, that's the definition of misplaced priorities.
We need new leadership in the AG's office.
I'm proud to have been endorsed by 61 former assistant AGs.
And I'm asking for your vote for Attorney General.
Thank you.
- Hi, my name is Jay Schroeder
I'm running for Wisconsin's Secretary of State.
I've been going around the state and part of my campaign
is to educating the voters of my opponent, Mr. La Follette,
what he's done
and what I want to do for the state of Wisconsin.
Four year ago there was an inauguration.
Mr. La Follette wasn't there.
Some were wondering why?
What he was doing is touring the U.S. like he usually does
once a year, staying in three or four star hotels
but the interesting thing or sad thing is
he uses the children's book fund that is meant for libraries
to go on his elaborate trips.
That's not right
and that's not what our taxpayers
of the state of Wisconsin expect us to do.
Another issue that I have been researched
and found about the position
which motives me to educate the people
is Mr. La Follette's been estimated
that his pension would be $280,000 a year.
That's $23,000 a month.
When I brought that up in a newspaper article,
he said it was disgusting
that I would bring up something like that.
No, what's disgusting
is to think you're entitled to it
and he "said it was his money."
Well he forgets that the Wisconsin taxpayers
contributed to the overwhelming majority to that.
So those are the reasons we need to bring that up
and issues like that.
He also has written a book "Wisconsin Survival Handbook."
And it talks about far out things
like eliminating dishwashers,
dish detergent, curling irons,
and he doesn't like toothpicks for whatever reason.
[chuckles] I can't understand.
But what concerns me most about far-off book
that he's written is on page 73,
it says once you have two children
you need to be sterilized.
Now, that makes me sad and angry
being the fifth of five children.
Mr. La Follette's book way I would never have been born.
Now those are the issues I bring up.
I'd like to discuss them with him.
The day after the primary vote,
I issued him a private message on Facebook.
Never heard.
And then I put another item
publicly saying on the Facebook thread of his
that I'd look forward to his response for a debate.
You know, Mr. La Follette deleted the request
for debates off his page.
Now we need to get out of Dane County in all of Wisconsin.
I wanted to debate in Green Bay,
Eau Claire, Eagle River and Waukesha.
That's what we need.
But what those things demonstrate
and what I learned in getting the 2,000 signatures
is Independents, Democrats, and Republicans
all look for term limits for this position.
Mr. La Follette's been in office for 40 years.
He did a WisconsinEye interview
and in that he even said he wanted--
thought he was only in for 25 years.
Utterly amazing.
Out of touch.
Wanting to spend money.
Thinks he's entitled to $2.1 million of a pension.
He's like Bernie Sanders would call the 1%-ers.
Now what I want to do with this position
is bring it out of hibernation.
The number one goal is voter fraud elimination.
In 2016, there was 4,000 cases.
What that is is same-day voter registration.
Cards are sent out and then the cards come back.
4,000 of them came back "no such name or address."
Now those things need to be changed,
updated and we need to have term limits.
It's important.
That's what the people want.
They expect out of our elected officials.
We are to debate 'em.
We are to bring 'em up to the people.
I really enjoy running for this office,
going around the state.
All people want is for their government to function.
For elected officials to actually work to get a paycheck
and not hide in Dane County.
Or it's like what Lee Dreyfus used to say,
"Madison is 23 miles surrounded by reality."
And what's most important is to get out the vote.
I would appreciate each
and every one of your votes on November 6th.
Thank you for your time.
On Wisconsin.
- Hello, I'm Doug La Follette,
candidate for Secretary of State for Wisconsin.
I'm running for the office
because I know that we need to restore
the important duties to this office
that were stripped away by two past governors
who wanted more power for themselves.
We need checks and balances in government
and this puts too much power in the hands of the governor.
It's also made it difficult for people
to obtain business-related information in Wisconsin
because every other state places this information
in their Secretary of State's offices.
The people have spoken.
They want to elect the state treasurer
and Secretary of State.
I plan to work with the next governor,
the state treasurer and the legislature
to restore the responsibilities to both offices.
My opponent wants to put
the responsibly of overseeing elections
in the Secretary of State's office.
This is a bad idea.
Wisconsin has kept politics out of the voting process
by having an independent Election Commission.
I think we should keep it this way.
There were big problems in Florida and Ohio when
a partisan Secretary of State messed with the elections.
I urge you to vote on November 6th
and I would appreciate your vote.
Thank you very much.
- Hello, my name is Andrew Zuelke,
Constitution Party candidate for state treasurer.
First, I invite you to visit my website--
wisconsintreasurerdefender. wordpress.com
to read my campaign platform and candidate views.
When I ran for state treasurer in 2014,
I campaigned on a platform of preserving this office
and making it stronger.
I said to voters back then
that stripping a Constitutionally-elected office
of its duties,
then claiming it's a "do nothing office"
after it was gutted, was wrong.
Unlike me,
my two opponents didn't run for treasurer in 2014
when this office was fighting for its life.
Only after the office was saved by the voters this April
did my opponents get on the ballot to "defend" it.
I want to thank the voters for voting no
on the statewide referendum and for keeping this office.
As I said back in 2014,
if state treasurer is eliminated,
those who want to consolidate power in Madison
would then gut and try to eliminate other elected offices.
If elected,
I will serve only one term.
Unlike Democrats and Republicans,
I am not pursuing a career in politics.
Democrats and Republicans
already hold every elected office in Madison.
Voting for me, Andrew Zuelke,
a Constitutionalist
for this lesser office,
will not split the vote in the governor's race
and it will not affect who controls the legislature.
This is your chance to put an alternative
into one office in Madison
to see what a Constitutionalist choice can do for you.
Instead of the same two parties
running everything in Madison all the time.
I want to do more than just restore duties to this office.
I wish to add to this office.
I believe the Budget Stabilization Fund,
also known as the Rainy Day Fund,
should be overseen by an elected state treasurer,
not an unelected bureaucrat,
who doesn't answer to the voters.
I believe the Department of Financial Institutions
should be added to the treasurer's duties.
Right now,
this department is led by an appointed bureaucrat
who isn't up for a vote every four years.
I believe the treasurer should be able to sit in on meetings
at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue
and be able to report back to taxpayers
what is going on at the agency
which handles their hard-earned money.
The state treasurer should be able to conduct budget
and agency spending audits.
I want to be the fiscal watchdog for the taxpayers of Wisconsin.
I am against corporate welfare and crony capitalism.
Private businesses should rise or fall on their own merits
and should also be free to enjoy the fruits of their labor
and creative enterprise,
but public funds,
taxes and fees,
should be for public purposes only.
I will use this office as a bully pulpit
to speak out against
and fight any misuse of taxpayer money.
If elected, I will work with others
to draft a brand new tax code
for Wisconsin to replace our current tax code
which is full of confusing tax forms,
including the progressive income tax
which punishes you for earning more.
Government budgets should be based on
what the state's Constitutional needs are.
Thank you for your time and for voting for me,
Andrew Zuelke,
for the office of state treasurer
on November 6th.
Again, my website is
wisconsintreasurerdefender. wordpress.com
Thank you.
- Hello.
My name is Sarah Godlewski,
and I'm a proud fifth-generation Wisconsinite
running to be your next State Treasurer.
A little over a year ago,
I was appalled when I found out
there was an amendment on the ballot
to remove the treasurer's office from our Constitution.
As someone who has spent their entire career
in business and finance,
I would never advise a client or invest in a company
that did not have an independent financial officer.
I've seen firsthand how disastrous this can be.
Which is why I stepped up
and became a founder of the bipartisan committee
to save this office.
I am proud to say on April 3rd of this year,
we did save our fiscal watchdog with 62% of the vote.
During my time advocating for the treasurer,
it became clear this elected position should be doing
so much more for all Wisconsinites.
That's why I'm running.
Here are three things
this office should be doing for you on day one.
The first is it should be your fiscal watchdog.
The governor and legislature,
who run the state budget process,
should not also be allowed to collect, deposit, spend,
and account for your tax dollars.
This creates a significant conflict of interest
that leads to misallocation and fraud.
In fact,
we've recently witnessed this with $47 million missing
from the Department of Transportation budget.
This is unacceptable.
Providing transparency and accountability
is something that I've been doing my entire career.
In fact, my work at the Department of Defense,
cutting through red tape,
saved taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
That's exactly what I'll do for you
as your next state treasurer.
Second, this office should be investing in Wisconsin's future.
The state treasurer is the financial trustee
to four trust funds worth over $1.2 billion.
This money benefits our public schools
and finances critical infrastructure projects
across the state.
Last year alone it provided $35 million
to public schools in all 72 counties.
As the co-founder of a socially responsible investment firm,
I know these funds can be invested in a way
that creates a positive impact for Wisconsin communities
without sacrificing sound investment principles
or financial sustainability.
For example,
we could use part of this portfolio
to address the student loan crisis.
In Wisconsin, this is a $24 billion problem.
And last year,
interest rates for student loans
were approaching 15%.
I would refinance high student loan debt at a lower rate,
saving Wisconsinites millions
while also improving the returns on the trust funds.
Imagine that.
Helping Wisconsinites get ahead.
It's this type of win-win investment approach
I would pursue as your next state treasurer.
And third, this office should be your financial advocate.
The treasurer should be our champion
in the fight against financial exploitation,
protecting hard-working Wisconsin families
and holding big banks accountable.
Seniors, veterans, and vulnerable communities
across our state are being taken advantage of
and we need somebody that will stand up for them.
As treasurer, I'll take decisive action,
ensuring that no one profits
by taking advantage of the people of Wisconsin.
Just as I fought to help save the State Treasurer's office,
I will fight to make sure this office serves all Wisconsinites
and I have the vision to start on day one.
I'm Sarah Godlewski, candidate for State Treasurer,
and I'm asking for vote on November 6th.
Thank you.
- In addition to the candidate statements you've just seen,
again this year, Wisconsin Public Television
will provide a forum for political news and analysis
on our Friday night news and public affairs program,
"Here & Now."
If you would like more information
about any of the candidates running for office in Wisconsin,
visit our election website: WisconsinVote dot o-r-g.
And remember to vote on Tuesday, November 6th.
Thank you for watching Wisconsin Public Television.
*
- For more 2018 election coverage,
go to wisconsinvote.org.