Retired Whitnall Superintendent Lowell Holtz said he raised important issues in his bid for state superintendent even though he came up well short of knocking off incumbent Tony Evers.
He also made no apologies for his approach to the campaign and focused on what he sees as the shortcomings of Wisconsin’s education system.
Still, Holtz said he was at a resource disadvantage compared to Evers, who outraised him better than 2-to-1. Between Jan. 1 and March 20, Holtz pulled in $117,190, while Evers collected just north of $360,000.
Evers also benefited from a $225,000 TV ad buy the liberal Greater Wisconsin Committee did praising the incumbent.
“There’s only so much you can do shaking hands,” Holtz said on a conference call.
Holtz said he wished Evers well and hoped others would step up to help the superintendent address issues, such as the achievement gap between white and minority students.
“I’m really hoping that while I might not have been in the position where I wanted to be, I really hope that we raised issues and awareness that parents don’t ever have to put up with failing schools, businesses shouldn’t put up with failing schools and our communities shouldn’t put up with them,” Holtz said.
