State Superintendent Candidates Spar Over Alleged Drop-Out Deal

State superintendent candidate John Humphries reaffirmed allegations Friday that fellow candidate Lowell Holtz offered him a high-paying job in exchange for dropping out of the race late last year.

Earlier this week, Humphries released a document outlining a deal he says Holtz proposed in December. The proposal included a high-paying job and private driver. It also called for breaking up the state’s school districts.

Holtz told WISN-AM the proposal was drafted to contain “suggestions from business people” and the Wisconsin State Journal that it was meant to be considered after next week’s primary election, but Humphries claimed the proposal was meant to be an incentive for one of the men to drop out of the race.

“Neither I nor any representative of my campaign sought any understanding for a post-primary arrangement and explicitly told Dr. Holtz this verbally and in writing,” Humphries said at a press conference Friday at the state Capitol.

Humphries also called Holtz a “liar,” alleging Holtz came up with the ideas in the proposal, rather than the business people. He also claimed Holtz edited the document to appear as though the deal was intended for after the primary election.

Neither campaign will reveal the identities of those business people, citing their privacy.

On Friday, Humphries also called the proposal, which would have guaranteed each man a three-year “no-cut” contract and authority over certain districts in the state, “bizarre.”

“I’m simply wanting to make sure that everybody knows how exactly I handled this very odd proposal and move on,” Humphries said.

Holtz’s campaign did not immediately respond to WPR’s request for comment.

The primary election for state superintendent is Tuesday.