This article is for voters of northwest Wisconsin and continues our look at the other candidates on the November 6thballot. 

Wisconsin Assembly  

   Democrat Nick Milroy is the incumbent in the 73rdAssembly district (most of Douglas county). He has been elected to three terms and is  unopposed in this election. Nick has been a biology teacher and has worked as a biologist for state, federal, and tribal agencies. Nick is a strong advocate for people and the environment. Beth Meyers is the Democratic, two term incumbent representative for Assembly district 74 (Bayfield, Ashland, Iron and Price and parts of Douglas counties). She has been a social worker and county board member. Beth's website lists these issues as her policy priorities:

· Advocating for local control by local governments on issues like shore land zoning, protecting waterways, and school funding.

· Supporting our K-12 education system, technical and four year colleges to support Wisconsin job creators.

· Investing in local communities rather than throwing billions of dollars at foreign corporations.

· Protecting the Senior Care program

· Protecting fair elections by creating a non-partisan redistricting process.

· Making higher education more affordable for students and families is crucial for our economy and our communities.

· Advocating for our environment and protect the natural resources. Jeffrey Fahl is the Republican challenger. He is the former Phillips city counselor and mayor. He worked for 20 years as a computer programmer for a major Phillips manufacturer. He advocates for:·     creating good paying jobs in northern Wisconsin,

· Expanding job training to address the “skills gap,”

· Expanding broadband,

· Spending more to promote tourism

· Health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions and controlling drug costs.

· School choice  

   Jeff appears to be a moderate Republican, a rare phenomenon in today's political world. But given the extreme, no compromise, tactics of Republicans like Walker and Trump, moderate Republicans won't moderate the extremism. The only way to reign in the abusive behavior of the extremists is to totally repudiate the Republican party. To do that, we need strong advocates for the working people of northern Wisconsin, not moderate “yes” men.  

State Senate 

   Janet Bewley is the Democratic incumbent in the Wisconsin 25thSenate district. She has been an Ashland city counselor and served two terms in the state Assembly. She comes from a working class family, worked her way through college and has a work history in government and non-profit leadership positions. She was Dean of Students at Northland College. Her web site identifies these goals. 

· Create dependable family-sustaining jobs

· Protect the integrity of local governance and control

· Provide our children with a quality education that is funded fairly

· Be sensible stewards of our natural resources and preserve our rich outdoor sporting heritage

· Invest in the infrastructure to foster strong, thriving hometowns. 

   Janet has a strong record of working on the details that matter to northern Wisconsin. 

   James Bolen is the Republican challenger. James is a small business owner. He and his wife have operated a family resort on Lake Owen for 20 years. He has been the executive director of the Cable Area Chamber of Commerce for the past 11 years. His campaign website says, 

“My mission is for the people of the 25th Senate district to create greater financial stability, better jobs and upward mobility. I will be your leader in Madison to ensure citizens of the North get the recognition and opportunity we deserve.” 

   His website indicates James is concerned about K-12 funding, believes the regional university and technical college campuses are important and that the cost of higher education must be addressed. He says: “Education should never be a partisan issue” and he supports local control to deal with school budget problems. On environmental issues James sounds like a Democrat. He says, “We should acknowledge mistakes of the past and seek the most current technologies to advance economic opportunity while protecting our natural resources. I believe it is important that we hold those who will impact our natural resources to the highest standard.”  

   These are unusually liberal statements for a Republican. One wonders why he is not running as a Democrat? Is he another moderate Republican? Or are his campaign statements, heavy on platitudes, just an effort to say what the voters want to hear?  

   Rather than taking a chance on two unknown, moderate Republicans the voters should stick to the incumbents. Both Janet Bewley and Beth Myers are experienced, known advocates for the working people of northwest Wisconsin. 

U.S Senate 

   The Republican running against Tammy Baldwin for the U.S. Senate is far from moderate. Leah Vukmir is a second generation immigrant. But rather than her background developing empathy for others, she is a strident far-right conservative. She was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2002 and the state Senate in 2009. She strongly supported Walker's legislative agenda. She believes our constitutional rights “come from God,” not man, and the free market is next to godliness. Surprisingly for a nurse, she does not support national healthcare and would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. 

   Tammy Baldwin has lived the healthcare and discrimination issues that plague many Wisconsin women and families. At nine years old an illness left her with a lifelong “pre-existing condition” making insurance impossible or too expensive. Every voter should read her bio on her campaign website. Her life is a model of working hard, caring about people, doing the right things to make a positive difference in peoples lives.  

   The contrast between these two candidates is huge. Do you want rational solutions to our problems that move us forward? Or do you want a faith based “God, Guns, and Country” ideology that takes us back to the nineteenth century? 

   Ignore the campaign attack ads. Read about the candidates.

   Look at what they DO and not what they say.

   Think about what makes sense for you and your family. VOTE!