Several Dem hopefuls lined up at state Sen. Brad Pfaff’s annual corn roast, looking to win over western Wisconsin voters ahead of the critical races for governor and U.S. House.
“I don’t think I’m surprising anyone by saying it’s Democrats where we’ve been hemorrhaging and losing votes in rural areas,” Pfaff told WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in conjunction with WisPolitics. “And I am proud to be a rural Democrat. These are my roots, and I’m going to continue to try to do what I can to make sure that we, as a party, can continue to reach people in hard-to-reach areas.”
Pfaff himself is considering a bid for lieutenant governor and said he will likely make his decision before Halloween.
“I very much enjoy serving in the state Senate,” Pfaff said. “I want to say that we do need to be able to win the majority in the state Senate, and I look forward to doing that. I will also say this, I think the state Democratic Party is in a position, and we need to recognize that we need to have a balanced ticket. We need to make sure that we continue to reach voters in rural areas as well.”
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The corn roast was the first for those like State Sen. Kelda Roys, who said she will solidify her decision on a bid for governor “in the coming weeks.”
“I think people are really excited about the opportunity to have a new governor who’s able to actually govern with the Democratic Legislature,” she said.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley also said he’ll be formally launching his campaign soon.
“I’m going to go around and meet as many people as possible,” Crowley said. “I’m just introducing myself, letting them know I plan on entering the race for governor.”
Also front-and-center is the Democrats’ push to unseat GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
“It’s about showing up,” said Rebecca Cooke, who lost to Van Orden last November and is running again. “It’s about getting started early, and it’s about doing the work of putting the work in to show up, especially in rural places.”
Also on the show, U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald says he doesn’t support the idea of the Trump administration sending National Guard troops to Milwaukee to address violence, but does back the president’s push targeting Chicago.
“Right now Milwaukee’s a different situation,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve actually got some good numbers out of Milwaukee over the last couple of years, about time that’s leveled off or been reduced, so I’m not sure it’s something the White House would really consider. When you look at the long list of other communities that have issues, as a result of crime and homelessness and some other urban, very urban areas that it doesn’t seem to exist right now in Milwaukee.”
The comments come after Vice President JD Vance said during a stop in La Crosse Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson needs to “get some common sense” adding, “We would love to actually help cut down on the crime in this community.”
“The 10th Amendment is very clear, that there are specific things that the executive branch has purview over,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s oversight from Congress that comes into place after 48 hours. So I think there’ll be some discussion and debate about that if the president continues to expand that to other states throughout the nation, but I’m comfortable where we’re at right now.”
Fitzgerald also weighed in on the Republican primary for governor as U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany still considers whether to enter the race.
“I’m still kind of waiting to see how the field develops,” Fitzgerald said. “A good friend of mine, and also a colleague of mine, Congressman Tiffany, I know, is still considering it, and until he makes up his mind, I think I’ll kind of lay low on that topic. Tom and I have been friends for a long time. We served together in the Legislature, and I’d love to say I think Tom would make an outstanding governor. It would be something he still needs to make up his mind, though, and I know he’s talking to a lot of people and reaching out to a lot of people.”
Adam Procell, the ex-con now tasked with leading Milwaukee’s violence prevention efforts, told “UpFront” his goal is to stay far removed from politics within city hall or across the state.
“My constituents are that little 6-year-old girl that might get shot in the face tomorrow,” Procell said. “And if I attach to one side or another, if I cast a single vote to a Democrat or Republican, the other side might look at me some sort of way, and so I want to be in the position of a nonpartisan office that will work with both Democrats and Republicans, those that are advocating for a better community within the police department.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson appointed Procell to the post, a surprise pick, after he was not one of the original three finalists the city announced.
As a teen in Milwaukee, Procell shot and killed a rival gang member in 1995 and spent more than two decades in prison, including time in solitary confinement.
“Yesterday was my first day,” Procell said during the interview last week. “After I got off my computer, got my phone, took some training, it was about 5, 6. I then went to every single district and handwrote a card to each captain and said I support you, our office supports you. I didn’t get home until 10 at night because I hear the noise. I get that there was a lot of officers frustrated that I was hired by the mayor’s office, I was given a contract, and I get it. I get it.”
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