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Door County Election News – Skare Will Battle Bies

Dick Skare, owner of the Cookery Restaurant in Fish Creek, has defeated union worker Christopher Baeb of Luxemburg in the Democratic primary battle in the 1st Assembly District. Skare now takes on incumbent Republican Assemblyman Garey Bies of Sister Bay in the general election Nov. 4.

Dick Skare earned 69 percent of the Democratic primary vote.

Skare was feeling good Wednesday morning after attending a forum on an affordable housing proposal in Sister Bay.

“We’re excited and thankful we got such strong support in Door County,” Skare said. “We felt we would have a strong showing up north and were hoping for a good margin.”

And the margin was significant, as Skare took 69 percent of the vote Sept. 9, receiving 2,353 votes to 1,054 for Baeb.

Bies has represented the district since 2000 and his closest challenge came in 2006 when Ame Grail won 46 percent of the vote to Bies 54 percent. Bies spent 30 years with the Door County Sherrif’s Department before turning to state politics in 2000. He currently owns the Carroll House restaurant in Sister Bay.

Skare, who has served on numerous local boards and committees since opening the Cookery 30 years ago, said the primary was a good experience for him and his campaign staff.

“What we learned is I need to be out meeting people as much as possible, knocking on doors and shaking hands,” he said.

Skare said he looks forward to an issue-oriented campaign and hopes to bring health care, school funding, and protection of natural resources to the foreground in the weeks to come.

“The health care issue is one not being addressed by the incumbent and his party,” Skare said. “Everyone I talk to feels there is a crisis developing with the school funding model. And the passing of the Great Lakes Compact is only the beginning of protecting our Great Lakes.”

Skare said he has a strong base in the northern Door County, though recognizes that is Bies’ home turf as well, and he expects to spend a lot of time drumming up support in southern Door County and Kewaunee County, where his name and face are not as familiar.