MONROE - A gubernatorial candidate stopped by the residence of family friends Hans and Bobbie Bernet Monday to talk about his wishes to cure division among Wisconsin residents and restore a way of life changed under the leadership of current Governor Scott Walker.
Matt Flynn, a retired partner with Quarles & Brady LLP in Milwaukee, has spent his career as a litigator. Flynn also served as former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 1981 to 1985. He announced his candidacy for governor Oct. 10 and has plans in place if he were to be elected.
"You have to be ready to hit the ground running," Flynn said. "I would repeal Act 10, repeal Right to Work and restore prevailing wage. What they did is they crushed union wages. By doing that, they crushed all wages. I want to see higher wages in this state. It's very important to me."
The only veteran among a number of Democratic candidates, Flynn served in the Navy from 1970 to 1972. He is the oldest of 11 children and lived in Random Lake and Milwaukee for several years after his father took a professorship with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and proceeded to serve on the faculty for 34 years.
The son of a professor, Flynn has advocated for increased support of public schools in Wisconsin, including funding the University of Wisconsin, and said the best method to do that would be to revoke tax cuts for wealthy individuals.
"I would be a big advocate for the University of Wisconsin," Flynn said. "In conjunction, I would put in full funding for public schools and divert money from tax breaks for wealthy people to education ... public education is really the backbone of this country."
The candidate visited Monroe after receiving an offer from the Bernets, who have known Flynn for roughly 40 years. Flynn's wife graduated from Monroe High School as Mary Etter, the daughter of well-known school nurse Katherine Etter. Matt and Mary were wed at her childhood home on 6th Street in 1976. Mary worked as a speech pathologist in the Germantown School District.
Flynn graduated from Yale University before being accepted into University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in 1975. He was a clerk for former state attorney general and supreme court justice Thomas E. Fairchild. Not only active in legal life, Flynn also spent time working to get Democrats elected in Wisconsin. As chair of the party, he helped former Wisconsin governor Tony Earl get elected, retiring state debt during his two terms.
After considering a campaign for months, Flynn said he was ready to officially begin his effort to unseat Walker.
"I think he is a policy mule for Republican donors," Flynn said. "He's running a corrupt government, we've got to get rid of him. I think Donald Trump has badly divided this country. I think he is, essentially, subservient to Vladimir Putin, and I'm concerned about that ... Then Trump has divided us ethically, racially, and so on. Walker follows Trump's policies; the two are very similar. I think it's time for a leader in Wisconsin to unite the state."
He specifically pointed to partisan gerrymandering, the elimination of the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board over a year ago, the rejection of Medicaid expansion and the governor's partiality for a deal with Foxconn Technology Group to build a $10 billion, 22-million-square-foot facility east of I-94 in Racine County, which provides roughly $3 billion in tax cuts to the Taiwanese company without requiring a specific number of jobs or that workers be Wisconsin residents. Proponents have championed opportunities for job growth and 13,000 potential employees, while environmentalists have criticized the potential effect on wetlands.
Hans Bernet said he was impressed by the abundance of information Flynn shared during the event Monday and spoke to others out of a crowd of roughly 35 people who felt the same.
"I thought it went extremely well," Bernet said. "I think everybody here was actually even more impressed than expected. He brought out some important events we weren't even aware of."
Bernet said he was enlightened by Flynn's thoughts on Foxconn, which Flynn said would be one of the first things he would halt if elected.
The environment has been one focal point of Flynn's campaign. He said he has been aware of concentrated animal feeding operations through pollution of groundwater in Kewaunee County and was told of the CAFO called Pinnacle Dairy planned for Sylvester Township. He also voiced issue with high-capacity wells in central Wisconsin draining water resources and said the exemption of Foxconn from environmental laws is troubling.
"He's very much a progressive in the old way of Bob La Follette," Bernet said. "I think if he were elected, he would be able to get things done."
Flynn is one of seven prominent Democrats running for the seat. Others include State Superintendent Tony Evers, state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma, state Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire, Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik, political activist of Blue Jeans Nation group Mike McCabe and firefighter union leader Mahlon Mitchell. The primary election will be Aug. 14.
Matt Flynn, a retired partner with Quarles & Brady LLP in Milwaukee, has spent his career as a litigator. Flynn also served as former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 1981 to 1985. He announced his candidacy for governor Oct. 10 and has plans in place if he were to be elected.
"You have to be ready to hit the ground running," Flynn said. "I would repeal Act 10, repeal Right to Work and restore prevailing wage. What they did is they crushed union wages. By doing that, they crushed all wages. I want to see higher wages in this state. It's very important to me."
The only veteran among a number of Democratic candidates, Flynn served in the Navy from 1970 to 1972. He is the oldest of 11 children and lived in Random Lake and Milwaukee for several years after his father took a professorship with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and proceeded to serve on the faculty for 34 years.
The son of a professor, Flynn has advocated for increased support of public schools in Wisconsin, including funding the University of Wisconsin, and said the best method to do that would be to revoke tax cuts for wealthy individuals.
"I would be a big advocate for the University of Wisconsin," Flynn said. "In conjunction, I would put in full funding for public schools and divert money from tax breaks for wealthy people to education ... public education is really the backbone of this country."
The candidate visited Monroe after receiving an offer from the Bernets, who have known Flynn for roughly 40 years. Flynn's wife graduated from Monroe High School as Mary Etter, the daughter of well-known school nurse Katherine Etter. Matt and Mary were wed at her childhood home on 6th Street in 1976. Mary worked as a speech pathologist in the Germantown School District.
Flynn graduated from Yale University before being accepted into University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in 1975. He was a clerk for former state attorney general and supreme court justice Thomas E. Fairchild. Not only active in legal life, Flynn also spent time working to get Democrats elected in Wisconsin. As chair of the party, he helped former Wisconsin governor Tony Earl get elected, retiring state debt during his two terms.
After considering a campaign for months, Flynn said he was ready to officially begin his effort to unseat Walker.
"I think he is a policy mule for Republican donors," Flynn said. "He's running a corrupt government, we've got to get rid of him. I think Donald Trump has badly divided this country. I think he is, essentially, subservient to Vladimir Putin, and I'm concerned about that ... Then Trump has divided us ethically, racially, and so on. Walker follows Trump's policies; the two are very similar. I think it's time for a leader in Wisconsin to unite the state."
He specifically pointed to partisan gerrymandering, the elimination of the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board over a year ago, the rejection of Medicaid expansion and the governor's partiality for a deal with Foxconn Technology Group to build a $10 billion, 22-million-square-foot facility east of I-94 in Racine County, which provides roughly $3 billion in tax cuts to the Taiwanese company without requiring a specific number of jobs or that workers be Wisconsin residents. Proponents have championed opportunities for job growth and 13,000 potential employees, while environmentalists have criticized the potential effect on wetlands.
Hans Bernet said he was impressed by the abundance of information Flynn shared during the event Monday and spoke to others out of a crowd of roughly 35 people who felt the same.
"I thought it went extremely well," Bernet said. "I think everybody here was actually even more impressed than expected. He brought out some important events we weren't even aware of."
Bernet said he was enlightened by Flynn's thoughts on Foxconn, which Flynn said would be one of the first things he would halt if elected.
The environment has been one focal point of Flynn's campaign. He said he has been aware of concentrated animal feeding operations through pollution of groundwater in Kewaunee County and was told of the CAFO called Pinnacle Dairy planned for Sylvester Township. He also voiced issue with high-capacity wells in central Wisconsin draining water resources and said the exemption of Foxconn from environmental laws is troubling.
"He's very much a progressive in the old way of Bob La Follette," Bernet said. "I think if he were elected, he would be able to get things done."
Flynn is one of seven prominent Democrats running for the seat. Others include State Superintendent Tony Evers, state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma, state Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire, Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik, political activist of Blue Jeans Nation group Mike McCabe and firefighter union leader Mahlon Mitchell. The primary election will be Aug. 14.