Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District spans from just north of Milwaukee and west to the Wisconsin Dells. Two candidates are competing for the seat in the Nov. 3 election: Republican incumbent Rep. Glenn Grothmanof Glenbeulah and Democrat Jessica King of Oshkosh. Grothman was first elected to the district in 2014 after former Rep. Tom Petri held the seat for 36 years.
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To help you get to know more about the Wisconsin 6th Congressional District candidates, we sent them the same list of questions. Here are their responses (in alphabetical order):
Glenn Grothman (R)
Tell voters a bit about yourself:
I have a proven history of defending and protecting our values and am not afraid of challenging the Washington insiders — from both parties. I've taken on the Republicans when they tried to take away the tax deduction for health care expenses, I've taken on the Democrats when they tried to cut Medicare, and I've taken on the special interests like the drug companies, payday lenders and others who prey on the vulnerable. I also believe I'm one of the most accessible members of Congress, which is something people constantly tell me they look for in their elected officials.
What are your top three priorities if elected?
We need to be creating the economic conditions so that anyone who wants a job can find a good paying one. Ensuring we take the necessary steps with respect to COVID-19 to return to normal as safely as possible. Second, we need to protect our health care. We need to ensure that the federal government doesn't take away our private health insurance plans and any reform that does come, continues to cover people with pre-existing conditions. Third, we need to fix our immigration system. I have been down to the border four times and talked to the brave men and women of the Border Patrol. We need to withhold foriegn aid to countries that enable illegal immigration. Under President Trump's leadership, we've seen an 80% drop in illegal immigration.
How will you protect Wisconsinites from the coronavirus?
I am working to ensure Wisconsinites have access to critical masks and medical equipment and I am working to make sure they're made here and not China. I'm constantly promoting vitamin D, since multiple studies have shown the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the increased likelihood of contracting and suffering harsher effects of the virus, which Dr. Fauci has agreed with.
How will you help businesses and people who are unemployed due to the pandemic?
Our economy is much healthier when workers can provide for their families by earning a paycheck. The Paycheck Protection Program saved thousands of Wisconsin jobs and provided much needed stability to businesses struggling during the COVID-19 shutdowns. Conversely, I have spoken to dozens of Wisconsin business owners since the beginning of the pandemic and many tell me that they have employees who are making more money receiving unemployment benefits than they were working. Consequently, they are having a hard time filling positions as they reopen. We need to make sure unemployment benefits don’t pay people more to stay home which hurts our labor market.
What actions will you take to address racial inequalities in Wisconsin?
We are a diverse nation founded on liberty and equality. And while we haven’t always lived up to our founding principles, we’ve come so far, in striving to be a more perfect union with equal justice under the law. We certainly cannot defund the police. This approach simply panders to the radical left’s rhetoric while making our communities less safe. We can get rid of bad cops while not making our safety pay the price.
Jessica King (D)
Tell voters a bit about yourself:
I am vice president of Clinical Denials at RSource Healthcare, a nationwide company representing hospitals and their patients in pursuit of payment for wrongfully denied medical bills. I have served in the Wisconsin state Legislature as state senator of District 18, including parts of Dodge, Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties. I previously served two terms on the Oshkosh Common Council. Originally from Fond du Lac, my family has called the 6th Congressional District home for six generations.
What are your top three priorities if elected?
We need a health care system that working families and small employers can afford. U.S. citizens should not have to pay the highest prices in the world for medications. Reviving the rural economy is our path to sustainability, and our planet depends on it.
How will you protect Wisconsinites from the coronavirus?
Our response to this crisis must put people and local communities over party politics. I support provisions that fund the manufacturing and distribution of rapid coronavirus tests that do not require clinical lab processing for immediate results so those of us who are asymptomatic carriers could use this knowledge to be heroes by staying home and saving lives. Let’s work together to end the pandemic and preserve the country’s wealth, health, and economic functioning.
How will you help businesses and people who are unemployed due to the pandemic?
Congress should support homeowners and renters by offering rent assistance to landlords on behalf of renters to protect them from eviction. Congress should offer counterpart relief and mortgage modifications to out of work homeowners, to protect them from foreclosure. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the Great Recession. Congress must support frontline workers, including teachers, child care and family care workers. Without permanent support of these essential workers, our recession will deepen.
What actions will you take to address racial inequalities in Wisconsin?
I believe justice can only be achieved with equal treatment under our nation’s laws. Justice denied to one of us, is justice denied to all of us. We must restore checks and balances to heal our country. We must remove corruption and bias in our legal processes to restore trust. Congress must fund special prosecutors to investigate officer-involved deaths and excessive force cases. I support the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to combat police misconduct, excessive force and bias in policing.
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