The Democratic primary in western Wisconsin’s 92nd AD features a familiar name – former state Rep. Joe Plouff, D-Menomonie.
Plouff, who served four terms from 1997 to 2005 and also spent time on the Menomonie City Council, is trying for a comeback. But first he’ll have to beat Caden Berg of Chippewa Falls, a manager and bartender at a local theater chain who served a term on the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors.
Berg, 24, and Plouff, 74, both spoke to WisPolitics about their platforms.
The winner of the primary will face GOP incumbent Clint Moses, R-Menomonie. The 92nd AD contains parts of southwest Chippewa County and Central Dunn County and is 54.2% Republican.
On managing the projected $3 billion in state surplus funds at the end of the 2023-25 budget period, Berg said he would like to see that money benefit state programs like education while Plouff said he thinks the solution is a mix of tax breaks and spending.
“We need to support our public schools,” Berg said. “They’re a cornerstone of our democracy. They’re very important for the next generation of students and they provide some amazing opportunities. We can’t leave them behind.”
Plouff said he would like to see the surplus money invested into programs that would reduce gun violence.
“If that means offering people gun safes, so be it. If that means counseling services, so be it,” Plouff said. “But we have so many problems in our state that I don’t think it comes down to either education or tax breaks.”
The GOP-controlled Legislature has passed several bills seeking to ban transgender athletes from playing girls sports, but Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed those efforts. Plouff and Berg differed on their approaches to the issue.
Plouff said he believes it is up to the local schools to decide whether transgender athletes should be allowed to play girls sports.
“I think there are really strong issues that would ban a person that had once identified as a male from competing against females,” Plouff said. “But I don’t know if that’s a legislative issue.”
Berg said people are more concerned with cost of living issues than legislation regarding transgender athletes, but it is still “wrong and immoral” to put restrictions on these athletes.
“I know there are biological differences, but I believe we shouldn’t bar people from playing the sports they want to play in and I know that the solution isn’t in front of us. But I do believe we need to have these conversations, but we need to have these conversations with an open mind.”
In addition:
- Both candidates supported full marijuana legalization, but Plouff said it would not be a top priority for him if elected.
- Regarding abortion, both candidates believe in restoring access to abortion available before Roe v. Wade was overturned.
