Chad Lee
Age: 29
City of residence: Madison
Family: Wife, Jennifer Lee
Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration with a management focus
Occupation: Founder and vice president of a research technology company
Website: chadleeforcongress.com
Previous elected positions held: None
What is the top issue facing this district and how would you work to resolve it?
As I've traveled throughout the district over the past year, I'm struck by the number of Main Street small businesses that have closed their doors compared to two years ago. Without a doubt, the top issue in the 2nd Congressional District is our economic climate, specifically as it relates to jobs. We need to stimulate job creation and get people back to work. In talking to small business owners, they've told me that regulations and red tape are the key reasons why they're not hiring new employees at this time and creating jobs. In working to achieve this goal, we need to improve the climate for businesses by reducing unnecessary and burdensome regulations and red tape while reforming the U.S. Tax Code in a way that levels the playing field for large corporations and small businesses.
What are other key issues facing the district, and how would you work to resolve them?
In addition to jobs, we need to address excessive regulations as well as taxes and the skills gap in manufacturing, which I believe are the other key issues in this district. I've already touched on regulations, which I believe serve as major barriers to job creation by imposing higher costs for compliance on business owners. Additionally, we need to reform the U.S. Tax Code, particularly by leveling the playing field between large corporations such as GE, Apple, and Microsoft that pay little to no taxes, and small businesses that are paying excessive taxes. As for the skills gap in manufacturing, we need to work with schools in establishing apprenticeship programs that enable interested students to learn more about trade careers. I've toured a number of businesses, from Kuhn in Brodhead to Cotta in Beloit, and they've told me they can't hire skilled workers fast enough to replace retiring employees. There is a high demand for skilled welders and machinists; yet, we have young people graduating from four-year institutions with tens of thousands of dollars of debt and no job offers.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
When you elect someone to represent you, it's generally expected that they know something about the community in which you live so they can best represent it. I believe I am the best candidate for this office because, as I've alluded to, I'm out traveling everywhere in this district. I truly want to represent the entire district, not just the City of Madison like my opponent, who never seems to leave the downtown isthmus. There's much more to this district than just Madison and I want to be the voice for the small towns and rural communities as much as the big city. I'm also not bought and paid for by special interest groups, which have made large contributions to my opponent's campaign. Unlike him, if I'm fortunate enough to represent the 2nd Congressional District beginning in January, my phone won't be ringing with favors being sought by any special interest groups.
Age: 29
City of residence: Madison
Family: Wife, Jennifer Lee
Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration with a management focus
Occupation: Founder and vice president of a research technology company
Website: chadleeforcongress.com
Previous elected positions held: None
What is the top issue facing this district and how would you work to resolve it?
As I've traveled throughout the district over the past year, I'm struck by the number of Main Street small businesses that have closed their doors compared to two years ago. Without a doubt, the top issue in the 2nd Congressional District is our economic climate, specifically as it relates to jobs. We need to stimulate job creation and get people back to work. In talking to small business owners, they've told me that regulations and red tape are the key reasons why they're not hiring new employees at this time and creating jobs. In working to achieve this goal, we need to improve the climate for businesses by reducing unnecessary and burdensome regulations and red tape while reforming the U.S. Tax Code in a way that levels the playing field for large corporations and small businesses.
What are other key issues facing the district, and how would you work to resolve them?
In addition to jobs, we need to address excessive regulations as well as taxes and the skills gap in manufacturing, which I believe are the other key issues in this district. I've already touched on regulations, which I believe serve as major barriers to job creation by imposing higher costs for compliance on business owners. Additionally, we need to reform the U.S. Tax Code, particularly by leveling the playing field between large corporations such as GE, Apple, and Microsoft that pay little to no taxes, and small businesses that are paying excessive taxes. As for the skills gap in manufacturing, we need to work with schools in establishing apprenticeship programs that enable interested students to learn more about trade careers. I've toured a number of businesses, from Kuhn in Brodhead to Cotta in Beloit, and they've told me they can't hire skilled workers fast enough to replace retiring employees. There is a high demand for skilled welders and machinists; yet, we have young people graduating from four-year institutions with tens of thousands of dollars of debt and no job offers.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
When you elect someone to represent you, it's generally expected that they know something about the community in which you live so they can best represent it. I believe I am the best candidate for this office because, as I've alluded to, I'm out traveling everywhere in this district. I truly want to represent the entire district, not just the City of Madison like my opponent, who never seems to leave the downtown isthmus. There's much more to this district than just Madison and I want to be the voice for the small towns and rural communities as much as the big city. I'm also not bought and paid for by special interest groups, which have made large contributions to my opponent's campaign. Unlike him, if I'm fortunate enough to represent the 2nd Congressional District beginning in January, my phone won't be ringing with favors being sought by any special interest groups.