Senate District 17

A native of Plymouth, Wisconsin, former public school educator, husband, father of three and grandfather of nine, Tony Evers is running for re-election as Wisconsin Governor. During his first term, Gov. Evers cut income taxes by 15% for middle class families, led the investment of nearly $1 billion to support Wisconsin's small businesses, farms and workers, and stood with Wisconsinites by stopping numerous extreme policies designed to divide people from becoming law. Based on his belief that what's best for our kids is what's best for our state, Gov. Evers has provided strong and steady leadership for Wisconsinites and continued to reach across the aisle to find solutions to the issues most important to Wisconsinites, like addressing rising costs and making sure Wisconsin's public schools have the resources they need to provide a high-quality education to our kids.

Throughout his first term, Gov. Evers has prioritized equality and inclusion and taken steps to show all Wisconsinites they are welcome in our state, including being the first Wisconsin governor to raise the LGBT pride flag over the State Capitol. Gov. Evers believes Wisconsin women should be able to make their own reproductive decisions, which is why he called a special session to overturn Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban. His opponent is Republican Tim Michels, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, prohibiting abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Evers is the progressive choice in this race.

Nurse, entrepreneur, former CDC Epidemic Intelligence Officer and first-term State Representative, Sara Rodriguez is the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. On the ticket with Gov. Tony Evers, Rodriguez promises to be a partner to Gov. Evers by fighting to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, to adequately fund public schools, to protect women's access to reproductive healthcare, and to support economic development throughout Wisconsin.

In 2020, Rodriguez was one of only two Wisconsin candidates to flip a Republican-held seat. Her opponent, Roger Roth, is a longtime Republican state legislator who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. Rodriguez is the progressive choice in this race.

Attorney General Josh Kaul is a running for re-election to continue addressing crime in Wisconsin, defending our rights, protecting our natural resources, and delivering for the people of Wisconsin. As Attorney General, Kaul has fought to increase funding for public safety to help keep Wisconsin families and communities safe, as well as investigated and prosecuted serious offenses like homicides, sexual assaults, internet crimes against children, and drug trafficking. Attorney General Kaul has also taken on corporations responsible for the opioid epidemic and cancer-causing water pollution, and is leading the fight in court to restore access to safe and legal abortion. His opponent is Republican district attorney Eric Toney, who has promised to enforce Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest and could send doctors and nurses to jail. Kaul is the progressive choice in this race.

Long-time Secretary of State Doug LaFollette is running for re-election to ensure far-right politicians don't use the Secretary of State office to undermine Wisconsin's democracy by laying the groundwork to overturn future election results they disagree with. LaFollette strongly supports worker's rights, advocates for environmental protection and for investing in local economies, supports women's rights including reproductive rights, and believes in decentralization of power, particularly with respect to election administration. LaFollette's opponent is Republican state legislator Amy Loudenbeck, who, like many of her Republican legislative colleagues, has perpetuated the Big Lie and now wants to get rid of the Wisconsin Elections Commission and consolidate election oversight power in the Secretary of State office. LaFollette is the progressive choice in this race.

A fifth-generation Wisconsinite and the current mayor of Fitchburg in Dane County, Aaron Richardson is running for Wisconsin State Treasurer to ensure state investments are done with intelligence, excellence and safety, to support home ownership in our state by creating new opportunities for Wisconsinites to become first-time home owners and create generational wealth, working to ensure Wisconsin is investing in companies that are acting responsibly about protecting the environment, and restricting the predatory payday lending industry. Richardson's opponent is John Leiber, who is a long-time Republican political operative and legislative staffer. Richardson is the progressive choice in this race.

Pat Skogen is a retired dairy farmer and former public school teacher from Monroe. Active in the Wisconsin Farmers Union and Family Farm Defenders, as well as a long-time member of WEAC, Skogen says her top priorities would include increasing funding for public schools, increasing support for small farms throughout Wisconsin, expanding access to healthcare, and fighting for clean water and a living wage. She is challenging Republican state senator Howard Marklein, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Skogen is the progressive choice in this race.

The first African American female pastor at Bread of Life Church, first African American female board member for Family Advocate, and first African American female alder for the City of Platteville, Lynne Parrott is committed to breaking barriers and making connections in her community. Parrott's top priorities include protecting human rights, including making abortion safe and legal in Wisconsin, increasing access to mental health resources for our kids, increasing state-shared resources, enacting common sense gun safety measures like banning assault weapons for non-military use, and improving domestic violence policies so all Wisconsinites can be safe. However, she appears to hold some policy views that are not progressive. Parrott is challenging Republican incumbent Travel Tranel, who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. On balance, Parrott is the more progressive choice in this race.

In his campaign for the 50th Assembly District, Michael Leuth cites the need to protect our clean air and water as top priorities. Leuth supports ensuring our public schools have adequate funding, supporting small businesses, legalizing medical marijuana, and generally believes abortion should be a decision between a patient and their doctor. Leuth is challenging Republican incumbent Tony Kurtz, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. While Leuth is more centrist than truly progressive, he is the more progressive option in this race.

Lifelong 51st Assembly District resident, local elected official, mom of three and small business owner Leah Spicer is running for Assembly because she believes in a vibrant, prosperous, and thriving future for her community. As someone who is family focused and solution oriented, Spicer's top priorities include access to affordable healthcare, high quality childcare, investment and support for small businesses and farms, and ensuring our rural public schools have adequate funding. Spicer also supports expanding access to broadband internet and views clean water, land, and air as essential to our economy and way of life in Wisconsin. In the Assembly, Spicer promises to protect reproductive healthcare including the right to choose. Also running is Republican Todd Novak, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. Spicer is the progressive choice in this race.