- Announcer: The following program
is part of our "Here & Now"
Wisconsin Vote election coverage.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, I'm Kathy Bissen,
Associate Director of PBS Wisconsin.
One of the most important things that we do
is to bring you timely information.
That's especially critical during election years.
Again, this year, we are offering this platform
for political candidates to speak directly
to the people of Wisconsin.
We've invited all candidates
for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
for the eight congressional districts
who will be on the November 5 ballot in Wisconsin
to make an unedited, pre-taped statement
on the topic of their choice.
The order of appearance was chosen randomly.
If you would like more information
about any of the candidates running for office in Wisconsin,
visit our election website, WisconsinVote.org.
Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 5,
and thank you for watching PBS Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, my name is Phil Anderson
and I'm running for United States Senate in Wisconsin.
I'm filming this today at my sweetie's family's cottage
in Friendship, Wisconsin
because it represents the three things
I've been fighting for in politics
since getting involved over 10 years ago,
and those are peace, prosperity, and privacy.
Now, you may remember me
as running as a libertarian before.
I'm still obviously a libertarian.
If you look at my website,
the word libertarian's all over it.
But the theme of my campaign
and what will say on the ballot after my name
is "Disrupt the Corruption."
So why am I doing something different this time?
Basically, after being involved in politics for 10 years,
I've come to the realization
that the government doesn't work for anybody.
Not just libertarians
or people that want smaller government
or peace or, you know, more protection
for their rights or whatever, but for nobody really.
Not even rank-and-file Democrats
are truly being represented in Congress,
because Congress is controlled by the two major parties,
which are bought and paid for
by the big moneyed interest in this country.
The lobbies, the unions, the whoever
funnel money into the DNC and the RNC.
The leadership in Congress just tells the members
what they're supposed to do, how they're supposed to vote.
If they don't comply, play along,
and at least work with the corruption of the system,
they get primaried out, they get lack of funding,
they get lousy committee assignments, et cetera,
and eventually they don't serve in Congress anymore.
That's why we have the situation that we do.
They don't respond to us.
The idea of America as being a place
where people have rights,
and when we need to decide things,
we do so democratically, is completely broken.
It doesn't work anymore.
It almost doesn't exist.
And that's why I'm representing everybody in this race.
Every single person who's not one of the higher-ups
in the Republican or Democratic parties
or one of the big moneyed interests,
I'm representing you, because you're not being heard
and you're not being represented.
We have a massive corrupt system
that is not what our founders intended,
not what we believe it is, nor what it should be.
And the only way to fix it is two different things.
Number one, we need to overturn and get rid of the idea
that corporations are people
in as much as they have actual human rights.
Now, I'm not for getting rid of corporations entirely.
They're very useful in business
and mitigating risk and those sorts of things.
But the idea that they're people with rights like free speech
is ridiculous and should be insulting
to everybody who takes the time to think about it.
Humans have rights, not organizations.
It's silly, but that is what allows
all the corruption to happen.
For all these industries, lobbies, unions,
whatever, to spend a ton of money into politics,
overwhelming any one individual's ability
to affect the system by their own free speech.
Number two.
Number two, and this is very important,
we need to stop thinking election cycles only.
You're hearing it from everybody.
"Don't waste your vote.
"This is the most important election of our lifetime.
"We can't afford four more years of Trump.
We can't have four more years of Harris."
Hovde, Baldwin, whatever it might be.
That's all a trap.
It's not true.
It's all a trap,
and it just perpetuates the current system,
which is controlled by Democrats, Republicans,
and their sponsors.
We need to think beyond that.
If you register your vote according to your conscience,
according to the person that represents you
in not only your short-term interest,
but your long-term interest
and your desire for the United States government to work
and to be faithful to the Constitution,
consider voting for somebody like me
because even in a loss, that means something.
That means there's support for the ideas that I represent.
There's support for the idea
that our government is broken and we need to fix it.
And right now, if you just give up your vote
to the lesser of two evils,
all you're doing is helping perpetuate a system
that doesn't care about you, that doesn't listen to you,
that doesn't respond to you, that hides things from you,
that cheats you,
that goes to wars on your behalf over lies,
all of these things.
Let's fix it.
Consider voting for me on November 5.
Thank you.
[upbeat music]
- I'm Eric Hovde and I'm running for the U.S. Senate.
I'm a fourth-generation Wisconsinite,
born and raised in Madison, attended East High,
and graduated as a proud Badger in 1986.
I'm your classic entrepreneur,
founding my first business in my 20s.
My main businesses today are Hovde Properties,
a real estate development company here in Wisconsin,
and Community Banking.
However, I've been involved in many businesses,
which have given me a broad spectrum of experiences.
In my 20s, I was given the shocking news
of having multiple sclerosis.
And while I struggled for many years,
fortunately, my MS has been mostly stable
for the last 20 years.
Because of that diagnosis,
it propelled me to start the Hovde Foundation.
At first, it focused on medical research and MS,
but I expanded its focus to rescue children
who have been abandoned to the streets,
abused, and used in the sex trade.
I founded the Hovde Homes, which provide shelter,
care, education, and love to those children.
Today, there are 10 Hovde Homes around the world
that are responsible for rescuing
well over 5,000 children.
I was blessed to meet the love of my life, Sharon,
and we have two daughters and three grandchildren.
So why would a guy with a pretty good life
get into this ugly business called politics?
Well, it's simple.
I love my country.
I understand how blessed we are
to live in this country called America,
which has provided more civil liberties,
prosperity, and freedom to its people
than any country in human history.
Unfortunately, I'm deeply concerned
about the direction our country has taken
over the last 20 years.
First, our politics has become too divisive,
and instead of trying to work together
to solve the problems our country is facing,
we live in our own echo chambers and demonize the other side.
We have lost our ability to cooperate
and to put the broader interests of the American people first.
Second, I'm concerned about
how Washington has become corrupt.
Far too many of our politicians today
care only about getting reelected
and raise money from special interest groups
that they become beholden to.
I made the promise that I will not take
corporate special interest money, which I have not,
unlike my opponent, Senator Baldwin,
who raises enormous amounts of money
from Wall Street, Big Pharma, and Big Tech.
I'm deeply concerned
that we are bankrupting our country.
In the last three and a half years,
we've added more debt
than our country's first 230-year history.
This reckless spending is the reason
we've had 40-year highs in inflation
that is crushing families
and putting the American dream out of touch.
I'm also concerned about our domestic security.
The opening of our southern border
has had devastating consequences
and has helped fuel the fentanyl crisis.
In the last two years,
we've lost over 220,000 Americans to this poison.
My opponent, Senator Baldwin,
has been in Washington for 26 years.
She's a big part of the problem.
She voted for every single spending bill
that caused record-high debt and inflation,
and voted not to secure our southern border.
I believe it's time for change.
My hope is to bring my skill sets
to fix many of the problems our country is facing today,
like a lack of affordable housing
and a health care system that is breaking.
I believe we need to return to the citizen legislator,
somebody who served for a term or two,
brings their skill sets from the real world
to improve our country
instead of having career politicians.
I'd be honored to have your vote.
And if you do elect me as your U.S. senator,
I will put the people of Wisconsin's interests first
and use my talents to get things done.
Thank you for your time.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Tammy Baldwin and I'm running for reelection
so that I can continue to represent
the people of the great state of Wisconsin
in the United States Senate.
I'm running because I'm committed to making sure
that middle class Wisconsin families,
not just big corporate special interests
and the super wealthy, have someone working for them.
I believe that every Wisconsinite
should have the opportunity to get a good-paying job,
get relief from rising costs,
and have the same rights and freedoms
that their parents and grandparents had,
including the right to make their own health care decisions.
And it all starts with a good-paying job
that covers the bills.
And that's why I'm committed to passing
more of my Made in America policies
to keep our workers and economy going strong.
I've been able to champion my Buy America rules
in historic pieces of legislation,
like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act,
and this year's National Defense Bill.
Because of that work, we're creating thousands
of good-paying jobs across the state,
all while strengthening our nation's infrastructure,
working toward a more climate-friendly future,
and supporting Wisconsin industries.
But a good-paying job can only go so far
when costs are still so high and corporate price gouging
is ripping our working families off.
Throughout my career,
I've taken on corporate greed in the health care industry
by working to pass the Affordable Care Act
and, much more recently, capping insulin costs
at $35 for our seniors,
and pressuring the asthma inhaler manufacturers
to cap their costs too.
But we've got more work to do,
and that's why I'm proud to be leading the charge
to pass legislation that'll cut the costs of housing,
childcare, and what we all buy at the grocery store.
I'm not scared to stand up to these corporations.
And if reelected, Wisconsinites have my word
that I'm gonna keep fighting
to get these measures over the finish line
to bring prices down for every family.
Finally, I'm determined to fight for our freedoms:
our freedom to vote,
and our freedom to make our own health care decisions.
Right now, I'm working alongside my Senate colleagues
to protect every Wisconsin voter's access
to the ballot box.
And I'm working harder than ever
to pass my Women's Health Protection Act.
This bill would make Roe v. Wade the law of the land,
restoring the right to choose for women nationwide.
A good-paying job, health care you can afford,
the freedom to your own health care choices,
and the right to have your voice heard in our democracy.
These are the basics that every Wisconsinite should enjoy.
And I promise I will keep working hard
for you and your family and our great state
if I'm reelected this November.
Thank you so much, and I ask for your vote.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, I'm Peter Barca.
Families in Kenosha and Racine County know me best.
They know my commitment to public service.
It's been a privilege building relationships and trust
with people across southeastern Wisconsin,
from my hometown of Somers
to people in Kenosha and Racine counties.
In the last few years,
I've seen them left behind by partisan politics.
Nearly everybody agrees that we have a do-nothing,
dysfunctional House of Representatives,
and that needs to change.
And that's a major reason why I'm running for Congress.
Because I've always worked across the aisle
with Republicans and Democrats to get things done.
That will always be my priority.
I was proud to be a teacher,
helping kids get a good education,
being an employment and training leader.
And I'm running a small business,
understanding what it takes to meet a payroll.
I bring those experiences to my job as a legislator.
I've always put what's best for southeastern Wisconsin
and the communities here ahead of party politics.
I helped to lead the efforts against NAFTA
'cause I knew it was a bad trade deal
that would outsource good-paying jobs.
I even went against the president
of my own party to do that.
I stood up to special interests time and time again
because you are my priority.
As a member of Congress,
I passed a Buy American provision
that helped to bring ships' engines,
make sure they were made in Beloit, Wisconsin,
where they recalled nearly 100 people
and hired nearly 100 more.
That's just not what we have with Bryan Steil.
Washington is paralyzed by extreme partisanship,
and he's putting his party and corporate interests first.
Wisconsin families need leaders who will address rising costs,
keep our communities safe,
and protect the access to health care.
We need leaders in Congress that will work across the aisle
and stand up for Wisconsin.
Sadly, Bryan Steil says one thing
and too often, he does another.
He said he believed in infrastructure,
and yet he voted against
one of the biggest deals in a decade
to build roads, bridges.
In the summer of 2022,
he wrote an editorial in "The Racine Journal Times"
saying that chips should be made right here in America.
And a month later, he voted no.
He said he wants to cut costs for Americans,
and yet he voted to raise credit card fees.
No wonder he got nearly $200,000 from credit card companies.
And yet he voted three times
against lowering prescription drug costs.
No wonder Big Pharma helps fund his campaigns.
And he supported a bill
that would add $4 trillion to our national debt.
I'll work to keep our communities safe.
I'll work to keep guns out of the hands of felons
and mentally ill people.
Unfortunately, the thing that made me the most angry
was when Bryan Steil talked endlessly
about immigration problems.
And here we had a bipartisan deal put together
by one of the most conservative Republicans,
an independent, and a Democrat.
And yet when he said in the early part of the year
he'd work with anybody,
it turns out he'd work with nobody.
Because when he had a town hall meeting this summer,
he said that he only would work
for the House of Representatives Republican bill.
And we have 70,000 people that die of fentanyl every year.
And even though the border patrol supported that deal,
he was content to wait a year to get anything done.
Protecting your health care is a priority for me,
and I'll protect women's freedom
to make their own health care decisions.
I'm asking for your vote
because I'll prioritize getting things done.
We can bring down costs, protect workers, create jobs.
We can expand health care with public-private partnerships
and help cure diseases.
We can accomplish these things together
'cause I'll go to bat for your families every day,
like I've done my entire life.
[upbeat music]
- Our country's headed in the wrong direction.
Wisconsin workers and families are struggling
to afford the things that they need.
An unsecured border is putting our communities at risk.
I'm Bryan Steil and I'm running for Congress
to get our country back on track.
In Congress, I'm fighting
for Wisconsin workers, families, and seniors.
On the campaign trail,
I'm hearing a variety of concerns,
but there's a few that stick out to me.
We must secure the U.S.-Mexico border
to stop the crisis we see playing out
and to stop the dangerous flow of drugs, like fentanyl,
coming into our communities.
Since the Biden-Harris administration took office,
more than 8 million migrants
have crossed the border illegally.
We've also seen a surge in illicit fentanyl,
a deadly drug pouring over the border
that killed hundreds of people
in southeast Wisconsin alone last year.
There's four key steps we need to take
to secure the border.
We must restart border wall construction,
end abuse of the parole system,
reinstate the Stay in Mexico policy,
and end catch and release.
Another issue that I hear time and again
is the impact that high prices are having on family budgets.
Reckless spending in Washington was the cause.
That's why I proudly supported legislation
that cut billions of dollars of wasteful spending
and will reduce our debt
by more than a trillion dollars over the next decade.
We did this while protecting Social Security and Medicare.
This is just a first step though.
By cutting red tape, restoring energy independence,
and ending wasteful government programs,
we can make prices more affordable for everyone.
I'm also working to safeguard Social Security and Medicare
for our seniors and for future generations.
Reckless spending has put these programs at risk
and made it especially hard for seniors on fixed incomes
to afford the things that they need.
That's why I support reducing federal spending
while fully protecting the funding
for Social Security and Medicare.
These are promises the U.S. government
has made to our seniors.
Promises I'm committed to keeping.
I strongly oppose any efforts
to reduce Social Security and Medicare.
In Congress, I'm committed to listening to you
and fighting for our values.
I ask for your vote on November 5
because I'll never stop working for you.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Congressman Mark Pocan
running for reelection
to Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District.
It's been an honor to serve the people of the 2nd District
for the last 12 years.
The district comprises all of Dane County,
all of Green County, Lafayette County,
Iowa County, a good chunk of Sauk County,
about half of Rock County,
and very honored to be able to represent
the people of South Central
and Southwestern Wisconsin in Congress.
This has been an incredibly unproductive Congress
with the Republican majority.
We've gone through a record number of Speaker votes,
19 votes, to get our second Speaker of the session.
But we're on record to have
the fewest bills passed since 1860.
It's been a challenging Congress, no question,
but we need to do more.
And the way we do more
is by changing some of the faces in Congress,
and then we're hoping to do that throughout the country.
Republican control with Kevin McCarthy,
originally as Speaker, changing rules that allowed
just any single member in the majority party
to screw up the entire process
has been anything but productive.
We need to get more of our budget bills done,
we need to get a farm bill done.
We need to get just so many more things
for the American people.
And unfortunately, the Republicans in Congress
have been unable to get even the most basic things done.
Here's what I wanna do.
I wanna make sure that,
one, we hopefully flip the majority
and make Hakeem Jeffries our next Speaker.
With that, we can actually pass legislation
that'll help people.
And we can avoid all the bad ideas
that are in Project 2025
that Donald Trump and about 140 of his former staff,
cabinet secretaries, ambassadors,
campaign staff, and others helped write
the terrible ideas that are in Project 2025
and make sure that we're doing things
for the American people.
You know, Project 2025
has a huge authoritarian takeover
of things like reproductive health.
Literally monitoring the pregnancy
of every single woman in this country.
It would also end abortion, essentially, as we know it.
It goes after certain forms of fertilization, et cetera.
Secondly, it attacks the middle class.
It wants to get rid of overtime pay.
It wants to attack things like the Affordable Care Act
that so many people, tens of millions of people,
have for access for health care.
But also, don't forget, that saved us--
So if you have a preexisting condition,
you can still get health care.
And it would also raise taxes
on couples making less than $120,000 a year
and, of course, reduce taxes for the wealthiest.
And finally, it would attack Social Security
and Medicare as we know it.
And we need to protect those institutions.
I'm fighting against those bad ideas
that the Republicans and Donald Trump are advocating for.
But what I wanna do is get things done
that help the American people.
I'm looking at the agenda Kamala Harris
and Tammy Baldwin and other Democrats
are putting forward to make sure
that we're doing more to help every family have opportunity.
We wanna reduce costs by going after the mega mergers
in the food industry and gasoline
that are artificially price gouging
and keeping prices way too high.
We wanna do more to make health care
more accessible and affordable.
We wanna do more to help people with childcare
because that's such an expensive part of their daily costs.
And we wanna really address things like climate change.
We wanna make sure we have fair taxation,
2025, all the tax bills come before Congress,
and so very much more.
I'm looking forward to doing that in Congress.
I'm looking forward to fighting for those values
that I think people of the 2nd District have.
And I would really appreciate the opportunity
to serve everyone in Congress again.
And I just want to make sure I'm saying I ask for your vote.
And I really appreciate your time today.
[upbeat music]
- Hey everybody, it's Derrick Van Orden.
I've had the distinct honor and pleasure
of representing you in Congress going on about two years now.
And I want to take a couple minutes
to tell you a little bit about myself,
because honestly, we are just not gonna
agree with each other all the time.
You are not gonna agree with every vote I take,
and I understand that.
And I think that's a good thing.
But you need to understand who I am as a person
because that informs my thought process,
and my thought process informs my voting.
So in a nutshell, here is who your congressman is.
I was raised in abject rural poverty by a single mother.
We were on food stamps when you actually had a stamp
that you licked and stuck to a card
at the grocery store.
I dropped out of high school when I was 16 years old.
I've been supporting myself since then.
I joined the Navy at the age of 18.
I wound up serving for 26 years,
retiring as a United States Navy SEAL Senior Chief.
I got a GED during that time.
And at the age of 44, I got a bachelor's degree.
I was accepted to law school at 50.
And after my 1L year of law school,
I decided to run for Congress full-time,
which kind of worked out
'cause now I write the laws, and that's really cool.
My wife, Sarah Jane, and I have been married for 31 years.
We have four children.
Three of them are still with us.
Unfortunately, we lost our oldest daughter,
Sydney Marie, last year to cancer.
But she left us with three fantastic grandchildren.
And with the other kids that we have,
they're all behind me here,
we have a total of 11 grandchildren.
This election's about three things:
gas, groceries, and grandkids.
People in Wisconsin are having difficulty
filling up a gas tank and a grocery cart on the same day,
and it just wasn't like that four years ago.
And we're deeply concerned
about the security of our children and our grandchildren,
and it just wasn't like that four years ago.
So with the first two, gas and groceries,
that's due to radical spending in Washington, D.C.
led by the Biden administration
that has caused a 20% across the board inflationary index.
And that's unsustainable.
I get around to the district every single day.
I talk to everybody from our farmers
to our factory workers, to our nurses,
to the folks that are working at Kwik Trip,
and they simply are not getting along.
And that's because of the radical,
out-of-control spending under the Biden administration.
And as far as security, a couple weeks ago,
a member of an international, transnational gang,
the Tren de Aragua, which is a Venezuelan gang,
committed some of the most brutal crimes
you can imagine against a mom and a daughter
less than a mile away from where I'm filming this video,
and less than a half a mile away
from where three of our grandchildren live.
And that's specifically due
to the Biden administration's open border
led by Kamala Harris.
So here's what I want for everybody.
I want prosperity, I want security,
and I want freedom.
And I've worked tirelessly to make sure
that this is happening,
and I've worked across the aisle.
If you look at the Lugar Center's bipartisan graph
that they've made for us,
a full 69% of all of the legislation I've done
over the last two years has been bipartisan.
69% of all of my legislation has been bipartisan,
and that is ranked by an independent group.
The next closest member
from the state of Wisconsin delegation
is 51% bipartisanship, and that's Glenn Grothman.
So if you want someone that's gonna work for you,
regardless of your political party,
regardless of your socioeconomic status,
regardless of your race,
regardless of what you do in your own time,
you're looking at the right person.
So I'm gonna ask you to vote Van Orden
coming up here on November 5.
And with that, God bless you and your family.
[upbeat music]
- My name is Ben Steinhoff
and I'm running for Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District
against Scott Fitzgerald.
I never planned to run for Congress.
But over the last four years
that my opponent has been in office,
it's become clear that the people of Wisconsin want change.
The only way to change Washington
is to change who we send there.
For almost 15 years, I've served our community
as a first responder paramedic, firefighter, dispatcher,
and worked in a children's emergency department
and operating room.
I've dedicated my career to preserving life
in fighting for the most vulnerable on the front lines
while working paycheck to paycheck
and struggling to make ends meet.
During the COVID-19 pandemic,
I spent what little free time I had
volunteering for my local EMS agency
because I saw the desperate need for EMTs in my rural community.
My opponent, as a majority leader
of the Wisconsin State Senate, while running for Congress,
blocked federal emergency funding
to rural communities like mine when we needed it most.
Not long after, my department was forced to shut its doors
and cease vital 911 operations.
After my rural community was stripped
of these critical emergency services,
I knew I had no other choice
but to fight for those in rural communities
who so desperately need new leadership.
My campaign is entirely funded by small dollar contributions
from every corner of the district,
while my opponent has taken
hundreds of thousands of dollars from insurance,
banking, and investment corporations.
And every day in Congress,
he puts the interest of his donors
over the needs of our constituents.
As someone who's felt the pain of knowing your paycheck is gone
before you even receive it, I will fight in Washington
to help the working class get ahead
by championing legislation
that puts Main Street over Wall Street.
I've spent my entire career
fighting for those who need help the most.
And as your representative, I'll fight for you
as I was trained to do on the front lines.
I'm running for Congress to fight for you.
[upbeat music]
- I'd like to address seven issues
that should be of importance to the people
of the 6th Congressional District
over the next two years.
The first one is the southern border.
We've had over 10 million people
cross the southern border in the last four years,
skipping in line ahead of those people
who are trying to come here legally.
It should be pointed out we have over 3 million people
who've been legally sworn in as new citizens,
showing it's not that difficult of a thing to do.
Nevertheless, we should return to the Stay in Mexico policy
where we're not letting more people here,
and we should remove the people who came here illegally.
It sends the complete wrong message to just say,
"People can stay here if they came here illegally once,"
because other people will continue to come here.
It's also important to remember the current system allows people
to drown in the Rio Grande, drown in the Pacific Ocean,
dehydrate to death in the Arizona desert.
Next big issue is inflation,
which makes it so difficult to join the middle class.
First thing you do with inflation
is you make it easier to produce energy,
oil, natural gas in the United States.
This will reduce the cost of your heat bill,
reduce the cost to run your automobile,
but even more than that, it reduces the cost of food
because you're reducing the cost of fertilizer
and reducing the cost of plastics.
Allowing all these people
to come here as well drives down wages,
making it more difficult for other people
to join the middle class.
Next issue is diversity.
I think we've hired way too many diversity bureaucrats,
not only in universities, but in the government,
in the military, and in big business.
This divides people because you're educating people
to view themselves as a subgroup,
and we've gotta put an end to this.
We also should look at some of these big businesses
and see if they have been discriminating in reverse
because of their DEI bureaucrats.
Next issue is respect for the police.
I love to do ride-ons with the police.
It's been very difficult for them recently
because irresponsible politicians
push the myth that the police are racist.
We have to publicize studies showing
the police are not racist
with regard to things like traffic stops or anything else
and build back the respect for the police,
which will make it much easier for them
to maintain law and order.
Next big issue is overregulation by the government.
I'd like to look a little bit as how it affects a business
that I care a great deal about, and that is sheltered workshops.
These are places for people with different abilities
due to things like spina bifida or Down syndrome
work sometimes for less than minimum wage.
These facilities should be kept open
and not regulated out of existence.
Not only does it give these folks a chance
to show a little independence,
to be like their brothers and sisters
who are also going to work,
but it also allows for socialization,
which is so important for this group
that I think sometimes people are afraid
that they're only gonna get to know
their immediate family and their parents.
Instead, they make lifelong friends in these facilities.
Next issue is the transgenderism.
Again, we have irresponsible elected officials,
I think, encouraging people down this path.
People who have gender dysphoria,
studies show that the vast majority,
over 80% of the girls, over 95% of the guys,
eventually work their way out of this on their own
unless they're encouraged down this path
by allowing boys in the girls' locker room
or boys on the girls' sports team.
If we don't encourage this,
I think they're gonna bounce back and be just fine.
Final issue I'd like to touch upon,
I was very deeply concerned by statements
made by John Kerry and Hillary Clinton
implying that the First Amendment
is a problem for the government
and that somehow we have to restrict free speech
or approve free speech.
That's not true.
It's also concerning that Mark Zuckerberg apparently
was leaned on by the Biden administration.
So we should all respect the First Amendment.
Thank you for this opportunity.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, I'm John Zarbano
and I'm running for the United States
House of Representatives
for Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District.
This race is my first time seeking public office.
This election, you have a choice between Glenn Grothman and me.
I live in Oshkosh.
I'm a husband, father, grandfather, and retired lawyer.
Born in Omaha, I received my bachelor's and master's
from the University of Nebraska-Omaha
and my law degree from the University of Tulsa.
I practiced law in Tulsa as a bank lawyer,
experienced in secured lending, real estate development,
mergers and acquisition,
and federal and state regulations.
I met my wife, Merlaine, a native of Marinette in Tulsa,
where she was working as Artist in Residence for Oklahoma
and Artistic Director for Theater Tulsa.
We returned to Wisconsin in 1998 to be near her parents.
Since then, Wisconsin's been my home.
Respecting women's rights.
Every woman possesses the personal, fundamental right
to make her own decisions about her health care,
including access to abortion,
contraception, and in vitro fertilization.
I support women's health care choices.
My opponent does not.
He voted against women's safety, women's health,
access to abortion and contraception,
pregnant workers and pregnant veterans.
He also voted against the Respect for Marriage Act
and the fundamental rights of the LBGTQ+ community.
On immigration, the bipartisan compromise bill
tackled immigration control with dignity and due process.
This bill ended catch and release,
rapidly adjudicated migrants' claims,
massively increased border agent hiring,
and instituted strict asylum screening.
I also support expanding
Homeland Security's temporary protected status,
which would provide undocumented persons
with FBI criminal background checks,
work permits, and drivers' licenses.
My opponent travels to our southern border
and talks and talks and talks, and does nothing.
On climate, our district is home to about 8,000 farms
and over a million acres of farmland.
I support the Farm Bill, the Soil Care Act,
the Healthy Soils and Healthy Climate Act,
resulting in cleaner water and cleaner air.
My opponent denies the very existence of global warming.
Like I said, this election, you have a choice.
I will listen to all the people of our district,
and then I'll act.
I'll do something
to solve the challenges you face every day.
We will go forward, not backward,
advancing our Wisconsin values
of health care, education, and kindness
for a better future for our children
and our grandchildren.
Thank you.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Kyle Kilbourn and I'm running to represent
Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District.
Let me start by telling a little bit about myself.
I grew up in a small town on a one-acre farm.
My dad works in construction and my mom was a waitress.
We weren't rich, but we worked hard,
looked out for each other,
and made the most of what we had.
Those experiences shape my values
and my belief in the importance
of community, hard work, and fairness.
I learned early on that when we invest in each other,
when we help our neighbors,
and we stand up for what's right, we all benefit.
Over the years, I've built a career
as a product designer and researcher.
My work has always been about finding solutions,
solutions to complex problems
and solutions that make life better for everyday people.
And that's why I'm running for Congress.
Because Washington is broken
and rural Wisconsin is being left behind.
We need fresh leadership to tackle the issues
that matter most to working families.
Right now, inflation and the rising cost of living
are the biggest concerns I hear from folks across the district.
Whether it's the price of groceries,
gas, or prescription drugs,
it feels like everything is going up,
and wages just aren't keeping up.
Families in rural Wisconsin especially
are feeling the squeeze.
We need to do more to help, and that starts with making sure
the government is working for you,
not corporate donors or big interests.
And that's why I'm focused on
capping prescription drug prices,
making health care more affordable,
and increasing Social Security benefits
so our seniors don't have to worry about making ends meet.
We need to talk about health care.
In rural areas like ours,
it's getting harder and harder to access quality care.
Hospitals are closing
and families are driving further just to see a doctor.
We need to invest in rural health care centers,
ensure that our veterans get the care they deserve,
and put an end to price gouging on prescription drugs.
No one should have to choose
between getting the care they need or going broke.
And let's not forget about Social Security and Medicare.
These are programs that people have paid into
their entire lives.
They're not handouts.
It's a promise we've made to our seniors,
and it's one we need to keep.
I'll fight to protect these benefits,
and I won't support raising the retirement age
or cutting benefits like we've seen proposed
by some in Washington.
Another big issue is reproductive rights.
I believe women should have the right
to make their own health care decisions.
My opponent, however, has supported extreme measures
that would restrict abortion access
and even limit families' access to IVF.
These policies are harmful and out of touch
with the values of our district.
This is about freedom.
Freedom for women and families to make the best choices
for themselves without government interference.
And then finally, we need to talk about climate change
and how we can protect our environment
while creating good-paying jobs.
Wisconsin's natural beauty is a big part of who we are,
and we need to protect our land and water.
But we can do that while also investing in clean energy,
creating jobs, and building an economy
that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest.
I'm running because I believe we deserve better.
We deserve a representative who listens,
who works hard, and delivers results,
not someone who plays partisan games
and looks out for big corporations.
I'm here for working families and our veterans
and our rural communities.
Thank you for listening.
I hope to earn your vote.
Let's build a better future together
for Wisconsin's 7th district.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Tom Tiffany and I'm running to represent
Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District.
I grew up on a dairy farm near Elmwood, Wisconsin,
and many Wisconsinites know that farming isn't easy.
Every day, you are presented with a new challenge.
Whether it's a sick cow or equipment breaking down,
these experiences taught me the values of hard work
and problem-solving skills I still use in Congress today.
From helping residents to receive tax refunds
to assisting veterans, I believe in delivering results.
That's why in Congress I've helped return
more than $7 million back to my constituents.
It has also been a goal of mine
to bring Wisconsin common sense to Washington.
When I served in the state legislature,
Wisconsinites saw what balancing a budget
and cutting wasteful spending could do.
Unfortunately, in Washington,
the national debt has ballooned to over $35 trillion.
That's why I support a balanced budget amendment.
This would not only help pay down the deficit,
but it'll also protect vital programs
like Social Security.
One of the hardest-hit groups
by this reckless spending is our seniors.
It's important that we adopt President Trump's policy
of removing the double tax on Social Security benefits
and ensuring accurate cost of living adjustments.
You'd think it is also common sense
to keep biological men out of women's sports,
but Democrats in Congress opposed a bill to do that.
As a father of three daughters, ensuring Title IX continues
to create a fair playing field is a top priority for me.
Growing up on a dairy farm,
you also quickly learned the impact
of diesel, gas, and electricity prices.
Wisconsinites have seen this firsthand
under the Biden-Harris administration
after they issued drilling bans
and canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Prices for groceries have surged by 21%.
Gas prices are up over 50%.
By streamlining permitting regulations
and keeping reliable energy sources online,
we can boost the cleanest energy production in the world
and lower prices.
Projects like the Nemadji Trail Center and Line 5
would also create good-paying jobs in Wisconsin.
We have recently seen union workers,
including 58% of Teamsters, shift their support to Trump.
Why?
Because Republicans have solutions
to provide opportunities for hardworking Americans.
The latest job numbers show us
that job gains are going to foreign-born workers.
This not only harms American workers,
but immigration under Biden and Harris
has also overwhelmed community resources
and led to a surge in fentanyl poisonings and violent crime.
Wisconsin isn't immune to this burden,
as we've seen in Whitewater
where local resources have been strained.
In Prairie du Chien,
a Venezuelan illegal alien released by Biden and Harris
sexually assaulted a woman and abused a child.
In Abbotsford, an illegal alien stabbed three people.
And in Rusk County, an illegal alien's repeat drunk driving
left three daughters without their father.
These tragedies are a direct result
of this administration's failed border policies.
According to ICE, Biden and Harris release
over 75% of the illegal aliens encountered at the border
into U.S. neighborhoods.
We need to end catch and release,
re-implement a Remain in Mexico policy,
and complete the border wall.
For two decades, my wife and I owned and operated
wilderness cruises in the Northwoods.
Running a small business,
especially dealing with government regulations
and taxes, is what inspired me to get involved in politics.
Under Kamala Harris's plan,
if your small business or family farm's assets,
like the land and equipment,
are worth more than $3.5 million,
a hefty tax would be placed on your children
when they inherit it.
This would force many Wisconsin farms to sell off.
By reining in spending, unleashing American energy,
and securing our borders,
we can make America affordable and safe again.
I hope to earn your vote on November 5.
[upbeat music]
- My name is Dr. Kristin Lyerly
and I'm running to represent the people
of Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District,
the district where I was born and raised
and the region where my family has been
for six generations.
My dad's whole side of the family,
they worked at the paper mill in Kaukauna.
And my mom's side,
dairy farmers east of Lake Winnebago.
I'm also a mom.
My oldest is a public school teacher in Racine,
all the way down to my youngest,
who is a sophomore at De Pere High School.
My partner is a 25-year veteran
of the Green Bay Police Department.
We're a proud, community-loving family.
I'm an OB/GYN doctor, first-generation college student
who has had the good luck and support and drive
to not only become a doctor,
but to become a nationally-known leader
in obstetrics and gynecology.
Someone who has advocated for more than two decades
for health care reform
to ensure that people have access to the care they need
and, of course, for reproductive rights.
And in fact, it's my name that's on the judgment
that brought abortion care back to Wisconsin
after the Dobbs decision.
Because of that effort, anti-abortion groups
have come after my Wisconsin medical license,
making it dangerous for me to practice in the state.
So here I am,
currently practicing in Northern Minnesota,
serving patients in a rural community,
delivering babies, providing contraception,
taking care of women who have issues with menopause,
just being a general doctor.
But hearing their stories and understanding
how rural communities are suffering
and how we can do better.
I first entered politics in 2020
when I realized that advocacy was not enough,
when misinformation was literally killing my patients.
And I thought that there was a place
for a physician who knew how to talk
about information and informed consent
might be able to make a difference and save some lives.
I knew I wasn't gonna win
because of Wisconsin's gross gerrymandering.
But in the efforts that followed that campaign,
when we were able to get Governor Evers reelected
and able to figure out our Supreme Court,
and able to fix our maps,
things have changed entirely in our state.
And now I am thrilled
to be running a spicy, exciting campaign
on behalf of my friends and neighbors and family,
the people who raised me, talking about issues
so much bigger than reproductive rights,
so much bigger than health care in rural areas,
but also economic issues.
Everyone is concerned
about the cost of goods and services,
about how expensive it is every single time
we go to the grocery store or put gas in our cars.
There's a way to fix this.
There's a way to fix our immigration crisis.
We've seen it.
We've seen steps in the right direction.
But we fail to provide the political courage
to solve the problem.
There are so many problems that need to be solved,
and our Congress and our state legislature here in Wisconsin
have been the least effective in decades.
The way we fix it is by electing leaders
who will elevate the voices of the people,
who will work together across the aisle
to find common ground,
who will be independent thinkers,
and who will be moderate
in their approach to problem-solving.
That's who we always elect in Northeast Wisconsin.
Democrats, Republicans, it doesn't matter.
It's about the person
and who the people of Northeast Wisconsin believe
will best represent them.
That's me, this kid from Kaukauna.
Thank you so much for listening.
Thank you for considering me.
And I sure would appreciate your vote on November 5.
[upbeat music]
- This is Tony Wied.
I'm a small businessman and political outsider
running for Congress in Wisconsin's 8th District.
Before running for Congress,
I ran small businesses with my wife in Northeast Wisconsin
for nearly three decades.
Most notably, I ran gas stations,
convenience stores, and Little Caesars franchises.
I'm running for Congress to take the lessons
I learned in the private sector to Washington.
As I travel around all 11 counties
in Wisconsin's 8th district,
the number-one issue I hear from voters
is the higher costs on everyday items.
My number-one priority in Congress
will be to lower costs
so Wisconsin families can feel some economic relief.
And that starts with stopping
the reckless government spending.
Our country has a deficit of $35 trillion.
Every 100 days,
we're going another trillion dollars in debt.
This type of reckless spending is unsustainable,
and it's the direct cause of the inflation
that we're seeing right now.
As a small business owner,
I learned you can't spend more money than you make.
We need that same common sense in Washington.
When I go to Washington,
there are three ways I'll fight to lower inflation.
First, we need to put an end
to this out-of-control government spending.
Second, we must extend the tax cuts
that are set to expire next year.
These tax cuts allow Wisconsin families
to keep more of their hard-earned money
and allow businesses to keep growing.
Lastly, we need to unleash American energy
by reducing regulation and becoming energy dominant.
For too long, we've watched
as politicians in Washington have failed us.
They would rather attack people than attack problems.
I've spent my life solving problems,
and that's exactly what I want to do
for the people of Wisconsin's 8th District.
I hope that I can count on you and your vote on November 5.
- In addition to the candidate statements
you've just seen,
PBS Wisconsin will continue to provide a forum
for political news and analysis
on our Friday night news and public affairs program,
"Here & Now."
If you'd like more information
about any of the candidates running for office in Wisconsin,
visit our election website, WisconsinVote.org.
Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 5,
and thank you for watching PBS Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]