It's always a gratifying to see more than one strong candidate running for a public office: Having viable choices is a measure that our system is strong and working as it should.
That's the case in the 51st Assembly District, where two strong candidates are facing off to claim the seat being vacated by Republican Howard Marklein, currently running for the 17th District seat in the state Senate. That Senate seat is being vacated by Sen. Dale Schultz, who is not seeking re-election.
What Libertarian Adam Laufenberg lacks in substance, he makes up for in heart. He is forging ahead, basically alone, without the benefit of the formal campaign machines that typically drive Democratic and Republican candidates. He is a proponent of medical marijuana, an idea that warrants serious consideration in the Wisconsin statehouse. While he lacks the depth of knowledge that is required for the seat, we're always glad to see a political neophyte with high ideals, especially a young person such as Laufenberg, take on the established system.
Dick Cates, a Democrat, runs a successful beef operation and teaches at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has a deep knowledge of agriculture and has cultivated an impressive resume of appointments to advisory councils and committees. He has solid ideas, most notably to develop a system of apprenticeships to bolster beginning farmers and nurturing cooperative systems to help burgeoning producers find markets. He champions building infrastructure, increasing broadband and worker retraining to help bolster economic development in the district, a solid collective approach. We also applaud his pledge of civility in the political process, a most needed quality.
We find Republican candidate Todd Novak's experience and moderate approach most appealing, however, and endorse him to represent us in the 51st Assembly District.
Novak has been mayor of Dodgeville for three years, and has experience crafting a zero-increase budget. While budgeting for a city of 5,000 is different than budgeting for a state of more than 5 million, the experience he's gained with the give-and-take of the budget process is invaluable. So too is the 20-plus years he's spent as a journalist at his community's newspaper: He's had an insider's view of what works and speaks convincingly of his desire to work on behalf of his constituents.
He is the only candidate we've heard address the problem of heroin in rural communities, a very real concern. Under his tenure, Dodgeville added a police officer position to help deal with the drug issue, and Novak says he purposely overbudgets for the police department so his city is prepared for the unexpected. That may not be the right thing to say in an era of hollow promises to slash government spending, but it's the right thing to do.
Novak calls himself a "realistic conservative," who is "fiscally conservative and socially moderate." He pledges to seek compromise and vote on each issue individually, rather than following a strict party line. That approach will bode well for the residents of the 51st Assembly District.
That's the case in the 51st Assembly District, where two strong candidates are facing off to claim the seat being vacated by Republican Howard Marklein, currently running for the 17th District seat in the state Senate. That Senate seat is being vacated by Sen. Dale Schultz, who is not seeking re-election.
What Libertarian Adam Laufenberg lacks in substance, he makes up for in heart. He is forging ahead, basically alone, without the benefit of the formal campaign machines that typically drive Democratic and Republican candidates. He is a proponent of medical marijuana, an idea that warrants serious consideration in the Wisconsin statehouse. While he lacks the depth of knowledge that is required for the seat, we're always glad to see a political neophyte with high ideals, especially a young person such as Laufenberg, take on the established system.
Dick Cates, a Democrat, runs a successful beef operation and teaches at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has a deep knowledge of agriculture and has cultivated an impressive resume of appointments to advisory councils and committees. He has solid ideas, most notably to develop a system of apprenticeships to bolster beginning farmers and nurturing cooperative systems to help burgeoning producers find markets. He champions building infrastructure, increasing broadband and worker retraining to help bolster economic development in the district, a solid collective approach. We also applaud his pledge of civility in the political process, a most needed quality.
We find Republican candidate Todd Novak's experience and moderate approach most appealing, however, and endorse him to represent us in the 51st Assembly District.
Novak has been mayor of Dodgeville for three years, and has experience crafting a zero-increase budget. While budgeting for a city of 5,000 is different than budgeting for a state of more than 5 million, the experience he's gained with the give-and-take of the budget process is invaluable. So too is the 20-plus years he's spent as a journalist at his community's newspaper: He's had an insider's view of what works and speaks convincingly of his desire to work on behalf of his constituents.
He is the only candidate we've heard address the problem of heroin in rural communities, a very real concern. Under his tenure, Dodgeville added a police officer position to help deal with the drug issue, and Novak says he purposely overbudgets for the police department so his city is prepared for the unexpected. That may not be the right thing to say in an era of hollow promises to slash government spending, but it's the right thing to do.
Novak calls himself a "realistic conservative," who is "fiscally conservative and socially moderate." He pledges to seek compromise and vote on each issue individually, rather than following a strict party line. That approach will bode well for the residents of the 51st Assembly District.
