Candidates Clash Over Education, Minimum Wage In Race For Schultz’s Senate Seat

After moderate Republican state Sen. Dale Schultz decided to not run for re-election, his open seat in the rural 17th Senate District in southwestern Wisconsin has come to be viewed as critical for both parties seeking control of the Legislature to win.

The race to represent a district that’s often described as “fiercely independent” is one of three contests that could determine which party controls the Senate. If Republicans win the 17th District, it would help them maintain a Senate majority. A Democratic win, however, could result in a power shift in the Legislature.

Last week, after months of campaigning, the candidates in the race finally met in a forum held at the American Legion this week in Mauston. Republican Howard Marklein, a state assemblyman and Spring Green native, said he was motivated to run for office a few years ago after money was taken out of the state’s Transportation Fund.

“I’m an accountant,” he said. “I’m a CPA. Honest budgeting, being truthful with our taxpayers is very, very important to me. That’s one thing I’m going to fight for very, very hard, (is) to make sure we don’t revert to some of the less-than-honest practices that were done in the prior administration.”

Marklein has the support of groups like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, which recently recognized him for voting 93 percent of the time on what it calls “job-creation legislation.” Wisconsin Right to Life and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau also back Marklein.

His Democratic opponent Pat Bomhack has lived in the 17th Senate District for a few years and is trying to start a law firm in Spring Green, though he doesn’t currently practice. Over the summer, the 6-foot, 8-inch former All-American and collegiate volleyball player divided his time between volleyball camps and working on the campaign trail.

Bomhack is quick to point out his admiration for the district’s outgoing Senator Schultz, a moderate Republican who was known for voting against his party.

“I will be someone who builds consensus and seeks compromise because we need more working together in Madison and less partisanship,” he said.

The state’s Democratic leaders put their support behind Bomhack before the primary election, a move that upset prominent Democrats in the district who had their own candidate.

The forum in Mauston put the candidates’ differences on display. For example, with rural school funding, Bomhack wants to adjust the funding formula. He supports State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers’s proposal to guarantee a financial minimum for each student and shift funding away from property taxes.

“Our rural schools are so critical to our communities, and what I’m going to do as senator is fight for our rural schools to make sure they get the funding they deserve,” said Bomhack.

Marklein, however, said Evers’s plan is too expensive. He said that boosting enrollment would increase funding.

“Declining enrollment underlies the majority of their concerns. More than anything, we need good paying jobs out here. Once we have good jobs, families come, families follow, kids come, and some of that funding issue goes away,” said Marklein.

One of the voters carefully listening to the candidates during the forum was former state superintendent John Benson of Mauston. He said that education funding and raising the minimum wage are major issues, and that he’ll be voting for Bomhack. Marklein said increasing the minimum wage could hurt employers, a stance Benson disagrees with.

“It’s a bunch of bologna,” said Benson. “For somebody to have to work for $7.25 per hour times 2,080 hours in a work year, they’re absolutely on welfare and it’s sinful. Especially when we see what some people are earning in this society and aren’t paying enough in taxes to support a higher wage.”

Cynthia Bomber of New Lisbon said she was impressed by Marklein’s ideas at the forum and felt like Bomhack spent too much time attacking his opponent. She said that’s one reason she’ll be voting for the Republican.

“My biggest issues are probably maintaining the progress that we’ve made under Gov. Scott Walker with job creation and the stability that has been created. I just want to preserve that, which is why I’m going to get out and vote,” she said.