MONROE - As a heated Nov. 2 election looms, tempers are apparently flaring on the campaign trail.
That was evident in Monroe on Saturday, when campaign volunteers from Monroe Republican Dan Henke and those from his Democratic opponent for the open 80th District Assembly seat - Evansville's Janis Ringhand - reportedly got into a verbal confrontation in a city neighborhood.
Having placed Henke literature on a number of doors near the intersection of 22nd Street and 9th Avenue, Henke campaign workers say they witnessed someone from Ringhand's campaign remove the literature and replace it with Ringhand brochures.
Henke campaign materials were later found in a garbage can at a nearby park, and photographed by Henke staffers, who said they later confronted the campaign worker and asked her to stop.
"You always hear of those kinds of things happening in campaigns, but it is something else to witness it," said Mike Bruhn, who was among those canvassing for Henke Saturday.
Ringhand confirmed that a volunteer admitted to replacing Henke's brochures on a number of doors, and had apologized to her (Ringhand).
The police were never called and no other action has been taken.
"It's just an unfortunate thing that happened, and that someone witnessed it happening," said Ringhand. "I wasn't aware of anything like that until I got a call from (a campaign staffer) about it Saturday."
Ringhand added that she is running an honest campaign and doesn't condone such actions by volunteers.
"It was a foolish thing to do," she said. "She (the campaign volunteer) is very sorry it happened."
Emily Loe, Henke's campaign manager, said the incident was especially unfortunate because college students had come down from Madison to volunteer and were exposed to a different side of the democratic process that perhaps they'd expected.
"We had volunteers out in the rain because they believe in a cause, and they had to see this," said Loe. "It's just disheartening."
Ringhand, meanwhile, who has run for state office in the past, said the tenor of this year's election has been increasingly negative. But, she said, Saturday's incident was an isolated one, and she is trying to wage a positive campaign.
"This was a bad situation, but the truth is, the negative campaigning has gotten out of hand," said Ringhand.
Ringhand is a former Mayor of Evansville, and small business owner. Henke serves on the Monroe Common Council and is a local builder.
Covering southern Dane and Green Counties, the 80th District seat is being vacated by Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon.
That was evident in Monroe on Saturday, when campaign volunteers from Monroe Republican Dan Henke and those from his Democratic opponent for the open 80th District Assembly seat - Evansville's Janis Ringhand - reportedly got into a verbal confrontation in a city neighborhood.
Having placed Henke literature on a number of doors near the intersection of 22nd Street and 9th Avenue, Henke campaign workers say they witnessed someone from Ringhand's campaign remove the literature and replace it with Ringhand brochures.
Henke campaign materials were later found in a garbage can at a nearby park, and photographed by Henke staffers, who said they later confronted the campaign worker and asked her to stop.
"You always hear of those kinds of things happening in campaigns, but it is something else to witness it," said Mike Bruhn, who was among those canvassing for Henke Saturday.
Ringhand confirmed that a volunteer admitted to replacing Henke's brochures on a number of doors, and had apologized to her (Ringhand).
The police were never called and no other action has been taken.
"It's just an unfortunate thing that happened, and that someone witnessed it happening," said Ringhand. "I wasn't aware of anything like that until I got a call from (a campaign staffer) about it Saturday."
Ringhand added that she is running an honest campaign and doesn't condone such actions by volunteers.
"It was a foolish thing to do," she said. "She (the campaign volunteer) is very sorry it happened."
Emily Loe, Henke's campaign manager, said the incident was especially unfortunate because college students had come down from Madison to volunteer and were exposed to a different side of the democratic process that perhaps they'd expected.
"We had volunteers out in the rain because they believe in a cause, and they had to see this," said Loe. "It's just disheartening."
Ringhand, meanwhile, who has run for state office in the past, said the tenor of this year's election has been increasingly negative. But, she said, Saturday's incident was an isolated one, and she is trying to wage a positive campaign.
"This was a bad situation, but the truth is, the negative campaigning has gotten out of hand," said Ringhand.
Ringhand is a former Mayor of Evansville, and small business owner. Henke serves on the Monroe Common Council and is a local builder.
Covering southern Dane and Green Counties, the 80th District seat is being vacated by Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon.