Editor's note: The Monroe Times editorial board met with both Todd Novak and Jeff Wright in separate meetings.
Voters in the 51st Assembly District have a real choice ahead of them on Nov. 8. Incumbent Todd Novak, a Republican from Dodgeville, is being challenged by Democrat Jeff Wright of Plain, a political newcomer. Both candidates would serve area residents well in Madison.
This election seems like a touch of deja vu from two years ago, when Novak won the seat against Dick Cates. Before the November 2014 election, we wrote that while Cates was a worthy candidate, Novak had the upper hand. We endorsed Novak for the experience he garnered as mayor of Dodgeville and executing a municipal budget and for his moderate approach to governance.
Two years later, we believe we made the right choice and encourage voters to give Novak another term.
Public education has become a hot-button issue in the race, with Novak's opponents charging that mailers sent by the American Federation for Children show the incumbent's unilateral support of voucher schools. Novak told us that has no control over how this PAC spends its advertising dollars. He said he supports voucher schools in Milwaukee in instances where they are held to the same standards as public schools, an example of a measured compromise that may help rectify the inequity the current voucher school system creates.
And Wright, as an assistant superintendent for Sauk Prairie school district, has been accused by his political opponents of being a one-trick pony, running strictly on the public education issue. We think Wright deserves more credit than that. His platform includes conservation, economic strategies and rural infrastructure. As with all newcomers making a bid for the statehouse, we wonder if he might be a bit idealistic about what he can truly accomplish, but we believe Wright would be an intelligent and sincere representative for our district.
That said, we think Novak is a better choice. We're impressed that in his freshman term, Novak asserted an independent streak and broke with party lines on a couple of key issues - he was one of 11 GOP representatives who voted against Gov. Scott Walker's budget. The budget didn't do enough to address transportation and public education funding, Novak said.
We hope to see more of that independent, thoughtful leadership from Novak in the future.
Second Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, is being challenged, again, by Peter Theron, a Republican, for the Second Congressional District. We think Theron is too theoretical to be a viable candidate.
While we are not making a formal endorsement in the race, we would be hard-pressed to not support Pocan. He is an effective Congressman who has been responsive to his constituents and has served the district well since first winning the seat in 2012.
Voters in the 51st Assembly District have a real choice ahead of them on Nov. 8. Incumbent Todd Novak, a Republican from Dodgeville, is being challenged by Democrat Jeff Wright of Plain, a political newcomer. Both candidates would serve area residents well in Madison.
This election seems like a touch of deja vu from two years ago, when Novak won the seat against Dick Cates. Before the November 2014 election, we wrote that while Cates was a worthy candidate, Novak had the upper hand. We endorsed Novak for the experience he garnered as mayor of Dodgeville and executing a municipal budget and for his moderate approach to governance.
Two years later, we believe we made the right choice and encourage voters to give Novak another term.
Public education has become a hot-button issue in the race, with Novak's opponents charging that mailers sent by the American Federation for Children show the incumbent's unilateral support of voucher schools. Novak told us that has no control over how this PAC spends its advertising dollars. He said he supports voucher schools in Milwaukee in instances where they are held to the same standards as public schools, an example of a measured compromise that may help rectify the inequity the current voucher school system creates.
And Wright, as an assistant superintendent for Sauk Prairie school district, has been accused by his political opponents of being a one-trick pony, running strictly on the public education issue. We think Wright deserves more credit than that. His platform includes conservation, economic strategies and rural infrastructure. As with all newcomers making a bid for the statehouse, we wonder if he might be a bit idealistic about what he can truly accomplish, but we believe Wright would be an intelligent and sincere representative for our district.
That said, we think Novak is a better choice. We're impressed that in his freshman term, Novak asserted an independent streak and broke with party lines on a couple of key issues - he was one of 11 GOP representatives who voted against Gov. Scott Walker's budget. The budget didn't do enough to address transportation and public education funding, Novak said.
We hope to see more of that independent, thoughtful leadership from Novak in the future.
Second Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, is being challenged, again, by Peter Theron, a Republican, for the Second Congressional District. We think Theron is too theoretical to be a viable candidate.
While we are not making a formal endorsement in the race, we would be hard-pressed to not support Pocan. He is an effective Congressman who has been responsive to his constituents and has served the district well since first winning the seat in 2012.
