WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Governor Tony Evers and Lieutenant Governor Candidate Sara Rodriguez made a campaign bus tour stop in Wausau Tuesday morning to rally for Democrats up and down the statewide ballot next week.
Evers says he’s hearing that many voters are concerned about what could happen if Republicans sweep all the major races next week. “A lot of people are concerned about abortion rights, infrastructure, you name it. They are supportive of what we are doing and they are fearful of what my opponents could do.”
He also noted last week’s ringing endorsement from former President Barack Obama who pegged the Wisconsin Governor’s race as one to watch, saying democracy is on the line between Evers and Republican Challenger Tim Michels. To Evers, that means making sure that everyone is free to cast a ballot in every election. “They (Republicans) tried in the first session to send me all sorts of bills that would have made it more difficult for people with physical disabilities to vote, people that live in nursing homes. What he’s talking about is accurate. They are using this excuse of all the fraud that happened in the last election, which didn’t happen.
“The idea that we have to cramp things down and make sure that, frankly, everything works out for the Republicans, that’s just not acceptable,” added Evers.
Evers says he’s willing to work with Republicans on issues like automatic voter registration and allowing absentee ballots to be counted on election day instead of after the polls close, just like he’s worked with them on other issues that don’t see as much publicity as others which ended with the veto pen or a gaveled in and gaveled out special session.
“We’ve actually signed 67% of the bills that [landed on my desk,] and they also had Democratic support. So there is always something. If you’re looking at it from a higher level, it looks like we are fighting all the time, but that’s not true,” he added.
Others who spoke at Tuesday’s event included Assembly candidate Kristen Conway, Attorney General Josh Kaul, and 7th Congressional District candidate Richard Ausman. All encouraged voters to get their ballots in early and then encourage their friends and family to do the same, either by voting early absentee or on election day at their polling place.
