Two Democratic Candidates Air Issues

Two Democratic contenders were introduced at a May 22 meeting of the Door County Democratic Party at the Sturgeon Bay Library. Both said the Republican incumbents they’re running against are out of touch with the voters of northeastern Wisconsin.

Ron Gruett of Chilton is challenging Republican incumbent Congressman Reid Ribble, whose massive 8th District encompasses Door County and some or all of 11 other counties (Brown, Calumet, Kewaunee, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca and Winnebago). Gruett said in the short time he’s been campaigning, he’s already put 2,000 miles on his vehicle.

Gruett

Gruett, a former Brillion High School teacher who now teaches chemistry and physics at Marian University in Fond du Lac, told the audience that he is in the race to help the shrinking middle class.

Listing his support for various hot-button issues, Gruett said he is both pro-choice and pro-life, with the latter meaning he supports the Affordable Care Act and health care for everyone, which, he explained, is a pro-life stance.

Gruett also voiced support for Congressman Ron Kind’s recently unveiled five-point student loan debt action plan that reduces student loan interest rates to half of a percent, “What the big banks pay,” Gruett said.

He is also a supporter of unions, the Social Security system and a national infrastructure repair and jobs program. “That is not an expense. It’s an investment,” he said.

Next up was Dean DeBroux, a special education teacher from De Pere who is running for the 1st District state Senate seat held by Republican Frank Lasee.

Debroux

Debroux explained that after high school, he entered the working world as a factory worker. After eight years of that, he decided to go back to school and earn a degree in something where he “could make a difference.” He earned a Bachelor’s degree and then a Master’s degree in special education, and has taught special education students for two decades.

After a few years of teaching, he was approached about getting involved in the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

“I was elected by my peers to advocate for them, for public schools and for workers’ rights. I’ve been doing that for the last 14 years,” DeBroux said.

He serves as president of the Bay Lakes United Educators, the educational labor union that represents 74 locals in northeastern Wisconsin.

“I got into this race to end the craziness down in Madison,” DeBroux said. “I think we need a senator who understands what common people need. Common people need a pathway to prosperity. It’s not about pulling up the ladder after you’ve gotten there.”

DeBroux outlined his campaign themes:

• Increase the minimum wage.

• Maintain a strong public education system from pre-k to university. “Right now we’re running away from our public institutions,” he said. “There was more than $1 billion cut from public education the last four years.”

• Gov. Scott Walker’s rejection of millions in Medicaid money on political grounds was a big mistake, DeBroux said. “We should have taken the Medicaid money. We left millions of dollars on the table that could be used to help pay for medical benefits for those on the lower income scale. 62,000 families no longer qualify under Walker’s budget because he dropped it to strictly the poverty level. That’s criminal. We can’t let that stand…We paid that money to the federal government through federal income taxes.”

• A balance has to be achieved between farming and industrial practices and maintaining the environment. “We can’t have farms at the expense of our environment…Same thing with industry.”

• “We need to take care of our seniors,” DeBroux said. “Those who worked their whole lives deserve to have security while they’re in their retirement age, and shouldn’t expect to have it pulled out from under them. It’s not a gift. It’s something you’ve earned.” He said he would support Sen. Dave Hansen’s recently introduced basic pension plan for private workers that is similar to the pension plan offered to state workers through the Wisconsin Retirement System.

“The bottom line is, I’m going to work for people,” DeBroux said.