Your Next Election is August 13th: Make a Plan, Cast Your Ballot!

Hello folks, this is your Paul Revere show.

This is attorney Mark Thompson.

We are here on WA UK 540 AM 101.1 FM.

Civic media statewide, always trying to move Wisconsin forward.

And we're right here in the middle of 2024.

And we have elections coming up on August 13th.

Major elections coming up on November 5th.

And I thought, what better than to have Sam Liebert from All Voting is Local join us to talk about what's happening and what's coming up.

Hey, Sam, how are you?

Oh, how are you?

I'm doing great.

So tell folks a little bit about all voting is local before we get into some of the hot issues happening.

Yeah, sure.

Um, so all voting is local, um, is a nonpartisan, um, nonprofit 501 C three group.

We are a national organization, but we are based in eight states across the country.

And the kind of work that we do is really working to safeguard the rights of voters at the state and local level.

We work to advance inclusive rules and voter registration.

We fight to remove barriers that make it more difficult for people to vote, ensuring that every vote counts.

We're active in more than 60 counties that are home to more than 21 million people of color across the country.

And a fun fact in 2022 in the midterm election, our programs helped expand access for more than 635,000 voters across the country.

And so I love the work that I do.

I'm actually a former municipal clerk.

I've worked in three different municipal organizations.

But I feel like I've finally found my home and my calling helping anyone and everyone have an easier time casting a ballot as it should be.

So Wisconsin is in the middle of this whole next presidential election.

I'm sitting here as a partisan that I serve on the Wisconsin Election Commission.

overseeing a nonpartisan staff that runs elections.

As a nonpartisan and all voting is local, what do you see your role is in the middle of this, you know, where you got currently we got President Biden teed up against former President Trump.

The RNC is coming to Milwaukee.

the focus is going to be on Wisconsin and Milwaukee.

What does all voting is local do in that arena?

Yeah, that's a good question.

Well, you know, I think you and I both came up at the time when, you know, the old saying was as goes Ohio goes the nation.

And now I think that's definitely that mantle

has

been passed to Wisconsin.

We are

you know, with the exceptions of 2008-2012, we've had some of the thinnest razor margins, either way, Democratic or Republican candidates, the last generation.

And so, with all voting as a local, our work is just that much more important.

You know, we're again fighting to, you know, make sure that...

Our election administrators have the support that they need and you know, you serve on the elections commission.

So, you, you know, this, I mean, very personally in firsthand that, you know, our clerks are a lot of them are overworked, they're underpaid, they're understaffed.

Our poll workers are either, you know, paid at or below the minimum wage in many, many places.

And so we're fighting every.

every day to make sure that our clerks have the resources that they need so that our elections can be run smoothly.

And so we're also working closely with other nonprofit voting rights groups.

So we work with a lot of groups that, well, you had the Reverend Greg Lewis just recently worked closely with souls to the polls on making sure that all folks, not just in Milwaukee, but across Wisconsin, have rides.

to the polls.

I think a lot of us take for granted that we have a car or easy access to public transit.

That's not the case.

And so we're doing all we can to make sure people get out to vote, that they know what they need to vote, right?

We've also have one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country here in Wisconsin.

And so ensuring that folks have the proper

voter ID.

We work with a group called VoteRiders, which specializes in helping people obtain their ID for voting.

We call ourselves the Wisconsin Voting Rights Coalition.

We're all 501c3s, non-partisan, non-profit.

As Greg Pastor Lewis would say, we don't take sides, we give rides.

you know, there's just a lot of work to be done to make sure people get out to vote.

But again, also there are forces both within and outside of Wisconsin that are trying to stop people from voting, trying to make it harder for people to vote or discourage them from voting at all.

And I think we talked about this a little bit last time I was on the program about mis and disinformation out there and people using tactics to either scare or to sort of dampen voter turnout and

you know, since you brought up the elections commission, you know, one of your fellow commissioners, Bob Spindel, after the 2022 midterms, it was an email leaked that he had written to his fellow Republican members in the fourth congressional district, saying that, you know, he and the Republican Party could be especially proud that 37,000 fewer votes came out of Milwaukee, mostly black and brown voters.

And so we also have the issue of making sure that we have

good commissioners on our elections commission who are, you know, held to the highest standards of, uh, of integrity and want to have high voter turnout, not lower, lower voter turnout that benefits one party or the other.

So let's talk a little bit about my fellow, um, commissioner.

Uh, you know, I have been on this show now.

This is the power of your show.

This is Mark Thompson.

I'm here with Sam Lieber of all voting as local.

And we bring this up and you raise implicit criticisms.

I want to get into this a little bit more with Spindale.

I know that you were at the meeting and the folks were at the most recent meeting.

asking for Commissioner Spindel to resign.

Frankly, I wish I wish you would too.

The way the commission is designed, commissioners, we don't have the ability to remove a commissioner.

But I think it is important to have the discussion.

Why is all voting as local?

Why do you think that

Commissioner Spindel should resign.

Well, I mean, look, at the at the end of the day, you know, in Wisconsin, our Secretary of State doesn't run the elections.

You did.

You in the other five elections, commissioners, the three Democrats, the three Republicans are tasked with over.

seeing the staff, as you said earlier, and also giving guidance, which then gets trickled down towards 72 county clerks that are 1,850 municipal clerks.

Yes, by nature, the commission is partisan.

It's bipartisan, right?

Three Democrats, three Republicans.

It is our strong belief and many of those in the voting rights groups and I would argue most Wisconsinites that whether you are an R or a D next to your name that you hold up the simple principles that I think most of us are raised on in this country and in Wisconsin that everyone is entitled to cast a ballot.

vote matters and that we want as many people to participate in the democratic process as possible.

And so based on the comments that Mr. Spindel has publicly said of bragging about lower black and brown voter turnout, making comments saying that no other white Republican has done more for the black community than him.

And let's all not forget he is one of the acknowledged

10 fake electors from 2020.

And also, oh, by the way, Wisconsin is I think the only state where our fake electors have not been prosecuted yet by our state attorney general, Josh Collins.

So we continue to call on the attorney general or hopefully one of the district attorneys, either Milwaukee or Dane County to to press charges on the fake electors.

And so under those parameters, we believe that Mr. Spindel has disqualified himself and we would call on

Devin Lemahue, who's the Senate Majority Leader who has made the appointment to appoint someone to replace Mr. Spindel, who comes from a diverse background and holds the ideals that I think most Wisconsin voters would agree to.

You know, I think it's important for folks to remember, because I agree that his role as a fake elector was problematic.

We voted to say that

There wasn't a basis based on recommendations by the Department of Justice that Commissioner Spindel shouldn't be charged.

Now others have been charged now by, you know, our Attorney General.

But there was a civil suit that came out and it's important, I think, for people to remember.

And I went and grabbed that agreement just to highlight some things.

I mean, first of all, we got the complaint and it was against Commissioner Spindill and he wouldn't recuse himself.

And that to me was, you know, come on, Bob, you can't do that.

And we ended up getting sued in court and the court said, look, Bob, you can't do that.

So we had to go through the whole process and revote and it was a.

embarrassment for the commission but coming out of the the civil I think it's really important because Bob Spindel was one of the promoters of election lies in 2020 and said all sorts of horrible things ultimately though he came out publicly and he said and I'm so I just have to make this point in quotes we hereby re reaffirm

that Joseph R. Biden Jr.

won the 2020 presidential election.

That to me was so crucial because we're coming up on the elections and people have to know.

This is Attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your Paul Revert Revere show.

This is Sam Liebert.

All voting is local.

talking about keeping Wisconsin moving forward.

Hello, this is attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your Paul Revere show.

This is WAUK 540 AM 101.1 FM.

Civic media, radio statewide.

We're always talking about keeping Wisconsin moving forward and we're here tonight, today with Sam Liebert, all voting as local, talking about

How Commissioner Spindel has Frankly fun my point of view as a commissioner embarrassed the institution, but you Sammy raised We have issues about voting interference We have the RNC Coming to Milwaukee the National Convention

Starting July 15th, running that week, the RNC chairman had said that they want to bring 5,000 people into Wisconsin to challenge ballots.

I know that you raised this as an issue.

Were you watching what was happening up in Glendale at the recent primary?

Did you see what was happening?

Yeah, all voting is local.

And again, other voting rights groups were pretty disturbed by what we witnessed last week with the fourth Senate district special election primary for Lena Taylor's.

now Judge Taylor's her former Senate seat and so part of Glendale is in her district and so for the Democratic primary there were some election observers who were seen challenging absentee ballots which as you know under state law and statute there are folks have that right to challenge ballots but that there is a process and these observers

were essentially causing a disturbance.

They were interfering with the work of the election inspectors.

They were warned several times about their conduct.

And so it sounds like the police were eventually involved, but that no charges were brought and that the observers eventually did end up leaving.

But it sort of felt like a dry run.

for November.

Target a small special election race, see what you can get away with, what you can do, what you can say.

And so then I know the mayor there pretty much, Brian Kennedy called it a despicable thing.

And he also suggested that it could be sort of a preview of things to come as we move further along in the presidential election cycle.

Yeah, I'm frankly from my point of view I agree that it's it was sort of it was a dry run Because this went way beyond just observing virtually.

It was a challenge for against every absentee ballot And I don't necessarily know what whether we're gonna wait until November, you know, we have the Wisconsin's fall primary is August 13th

And I'm here always saying, look at the people make a plan to vote and make a plan to vote in every election.

But what is your plan?

And how did you see this, you know, aggressive?

It's sort of an intimidation tactic, right?

it it is at the end of the day and it's also you know I know people throw around the word sometimes it could be a bit scary the you know the term political violence but if you look up the term and how it's used academically and then the political science

format, political violence isn't just physical violence.

It's also, it can be verbal, it could be physical intimidation.

And so, you know, essentially, you know, our poll workers in the state are either violent, they're essentially volunteers, whether they're paid or not.

No one gets rich off being a poll worker, they're doing it because they feel they have, you know, a patriotic duty to, to give back to the community, to their country, you know, as people are, you know, on average, tend to be in their 60s.

These are 70s, retired.

And, you know, they're their grandmas and grandpas.

They're they're literally coaches, right?

They're your pastor from church.

And so these are people that are just trying to do their best.

And, you know, when you have bad faith actors or ill intentioned people who are purposely trying to disrupt the electoral system and they're not following the rules and the laws in place.

That leaves a real impact on these poll workers.

I always tell the story.

I have my neighbor who lives next door.

A great woman, retired Army veteran, served her country.

She was actively involved in the VFW and other services.

But she was also a poll worker for several decades.

After the 2022 midterm election, she said, Sam, I'm done.

I'm scared to go and work at the polling place.

We're constantly being harassed and intimidated, if not by ill-intentioned poll observers, but even just some of the electorate who feel that they've been empowered to make remarks or make comments towards the poll workers.

And the fact that someone who was

a retired veteran and someone who gave so much to their country is scared to be a poll worker.

I think that says a lot about the status of our country.

And so, again, another reason all voting as local is working closely with local municipalities.

And actually, Glendale is one of the communities that passed an ordinance within the last couple of years, increasing some of the municipal citations and fines for harassing, intimidating, or attacking election workers.

you know, that we did try to get a bill passed at the state level.

Um, but you know, local municipalities do have some home rule authority left and, um, and some communities have decided to really lean in and make a commitment to their election workers.

And so we're proud of Glenn Dale stepping up and Mayor Kennedy, um, and his counsel doing that.

This is attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your Paul reviewer show.

I'm here with Sam Liepert.

All voting is local.

I'd be remiss.

On July 5th, the Wisconsin Supreme Court came out with a new decision on drop boxes.

That is good news for all voting as local.

Yes?

Yeah, this is great news for all Wisconsinites.

The fact that we now have very popular and

easy option for returning ballots if you don't trust the Postal Service or if you're also heading to your local City or Town Hall and want to return your ballot in person.

And so this is a great tool to have back in our toolbox for the voters of Wisconsin.

And I think actually

You are having a meeting tomorrow to discuss this very option and weigh in on possible guidance So I know there's a lot of us that election nerds who will be watching

so Sam Thank you so much I'm hoping you're telling everybody To be watching the Republican National Convention Monday through Thursday, July 15th through 18th in Milwaukee

People be watching it.

Civic media folks, broadcast live coverage each night, seven to eight with news director Terry Bell.

Civic host Todd Albaugh will broadcast live from the convention each day from noon to two.

So keep up on all of this.

Civic media radio networks coverage.

Thank you, Sam.

Thank you, Mark.

Hello.

This is attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your fall review show.

We're here every week moving the state forward.

I'm delighted and honored to have back Katrina Shankland, who is running the race of all races up there in the Wisconsin's third congressional district, trying to keep trying to turn that district blue.

So hello Katrina.

How are you?

I'm doing well.

How are you doing?

You know, I'm just dying to hear what's going on.

You know, we're sitting here in the middle of the state in Waukesha.

I spend most of my time in Milwaukee, so it's always nice to know what's happening up in that northwest corner of this great state of Wisconsin.

So what's

life

like on the trail right now?

What are you

hearing?

It's a lot of fun.

You know, it is, we just finished up June Dairy Month, one of my favorite times of year because of all the great dairy breakfasts and yesterday was cow appreciation day.

So, you know, that's always a great day for America's dairy land.

But in addition to that, it's now county fair season.

So we're gearing up for some county fairs all over Western Wisconsin and Central Wisconsin.

And there's lots of great county party picnics and other events to attend.

So I'm having a great time on the trail.

It's my favorite part of campaigning, meeting new people.

seeing old friends, reconnecting with folks, and really getting the opportunity to hear what's on people's minds.

And they're very motivated and fired up to defeat MAGA extremist Derek Van Orden and our message of getting things done and solving problems is really resonating on the trail.

So I think something new since we last talked, there is a focus on

225 bipartisan laws in the state legislature that you had something to do with.

Yeah.

So I think the best contrast to a guy like Derek Van Orden, who's probably best known for screaming and swearing at the Senate pages in the Capitol and disrupting the state of the union is somebody who is the opposite, who actually gets things done instead of spending time on Twitter insulting his constituents and screaming at kids.

I'm spending my time getting things done for the people of Wisconsin.

And I think that message of delivering results is what the majority of folks, regardless of party, really want to see in their representatives.

So we launched on our website, Katrina Shinkland for congress.com, a tab called 225 Bills, where we highlight

different bills that we passed into law, whether it's funding for a skilled nursing facility at one of the veterans homes or more support for farmers in conservation, protecting our water quality.

I have a great track record of getting things done and working with both parties to do so.

And so we wanted people to see, you know, we get a lot of questions on the trail.

Can you give us some examples?

So we highlighted the top 25 just because we wanted a variety, whether we're talking about public education,

healthcare and lowering the cost of prescription drugs, supporting our first responders, investing in public safety and infrastructure.

We have something for everyone on that page and encourage people to check it out.

You know, the RNC is holding their national convention in Milwaukee starting July 15th through the 18th.

They just came out with their new platform.

And they're talking again on significant limitations on women's reproductive rights.

I know that was a focus of yours and still is on a woman's right to choose.

How do you see that playing out right now on the trail?

You know, what are people thinking?

I talk every single day on the trail about democracy and freedom.

And when I say the word freedom,

Almost everyone immediately thinks about our abortion rights and our right to contraception and IVF.

And it resonates just as much as it did two years ago.

I have people from outside Wisconsin, everyone tomorrow, they'll say, well, are people still upset about that?

Yes, of course they are.

They're furious that anyone in government would take away their rights and freedoms that were not only hard fought, but that we don't believe government or any politician should have a say in to begin with.

This is a private medical decision between a woman and her doctor.

And at the end of the day,

doesn't matter if you're an independent or a Democrat.

If you're a Democratic voter, you're especially fired up.

But I'm telling you, there are soft or moderate Republicans and independent showing up to our events and talking about not only our freedoms and protecting and expanding our freedoms, but also they're talking about democracy.

And people are really linking the attacks on

are free and fair elections to the attacks on our reproductive health care access, right?

They see a link because people like Derek Van Orden, a MAGA extremist, really embody the attacks on democracy and freedom.

And they see people denying the 2020 election and participating in the Stop the Steel rally at the Capitol.

People like him, they're the same ones behind the DOBS decision.

There are the same ones who are now trying to soften what they're saying about abortion, but we all know the truth.

You know, if you're going to defund Planned Parenthood like Derek Van Orden wants to, and if you're going to call abortion genocide like Derek Van Orden did, you're not with us.

And the majority of folks not only in Wisconsin, but across the country strongly support access to reproductive health care and believe it's a freedom that shouldn't be infringed upon by a politician just playing politics with our lives.

This is Attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your Paul Revere show with us today as Katrina Shanklin, the candidate running for the Wisconsin Third Congressional District.

There's a fall primary coming up August 13th.

Everybody please make a plan to vote.

Vote every election.

But that's dates coming up quickly for you, Katrina.

So what do you say out there in terms of urgency?

Yeah, so we're excited because...

47 days before the primary, absentee ballots were already mailed.

So we're talking to lots of voters right now who've already logged their vote.

And we appreciate the support and the fact that they voted early.

We're excited about the Dropbox decision.

I think that's going to make voting even more accessible for lots of folks who love the benefits and accessibility of absentee ballot voting.

And now there's one more option for them.

They don't have to worry about if there's a leg in the US Postal Service, how their vote might not be cast.

And so instead of mailing it that

last week, they can just drop it off in that safe and secure ballot drop box.

So we're having wonderful conversations, not only in the field, but with voters via phone and text who are excited about participating in our democracy.

And I'm making sure to remind people this race isn't just about me getting through the primary and onto the general to defeat Derek Van Orden.

There's also other

items that are really important to our democracy on the ballot like those two constitutional amendments.

So I've been mentioning that to voters as well to remind them that that's a threat to the separation of powers and checks and balances.

If we're going to take away the governor's powers to quickly and readily deploy emergency resources when federal funding comes our state's way.

You know, that's something that Republicans in the legislature are trying to do to specifically get around Governor Tony Evers Vito.

So we're making sure to remind people

You know, not only about me and my campaign, but we're also having wonderful and really important conversations about the future of our country and the need to protect and strengthen our democracy from voting rights to ending partisan gerrymandering and ending and Citizens United.

So lots of good conversations on the trail.

The.

Is your is your read are like are people skeptical or they nervous?

are they like just you know like no hope or what's the energy level?

The energy level is amazing and so I have been traveling around 19 counties in central and western Wisconsin since October and everywhere I go people are really fired up we're talking like

100 people in these rural counties showing up to the annual picnics, signing up to volunteer and doing shifts, knocking doors and talking to voters about the importance of August and November, right?

And even this spring, I remember thinking right before the spring election, I was in some of the most rural sparsely populated counties in central Wisconsin.

And there were 30 or 40 people at these meetings, half of whom were running for local election and they get it, right?

They understand that every election matters and getting candidates on the ballot matters.

And I think look at the state level, you know, we have more Democratic candidates than Republican candidates for the first time in a long time.

And out of, you know, 97, I think.

seats that are filled with candidates, they're 115 Democratic candidates.

So it says a lot about the energy on the ground and I especially want to share that because we have newly fear maps, there are so many more competitive districts in this swing district.

So the third congressional district is the number one most competitive seat in Wisconsin.

And within it, there are three times more competitive assembly and Senate seats than ever before.

So almost every single candidate I'm talking to is running in a highly competitive district, whether we're in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Menominee, or the Verroqua area, the La Crosse area.

People are really fired up about the opportunity to flip these districts blue and to have more balance in state government and to have

Democrats have the opportunity to have more of a say when not only when they go to vote, but with their representatives.

It's all about ensuring that people have a fair shot.

And so I think the energy on the ground is tremendous and people are getting even more and more motivated as the summer ticks by.

So I'm excited to see what the fall holds for us and really appreciate that people are understanding what's on the line.

And I would say, especially in the last few weeks, people have been talking more and more about Project 2025.

And I want to

mention that because not only is it a serious threat to so many of our small d democratic institutions, whether we're talking about public education or health care, or other core earned benefits like social security and Medicare, people really get it and they're notifying their neighbors and their closest networks about the stakes of this election.

The I second that and you know, you brought up project 2025.

What are people hearing about that at the street level?

Is it really starting to develop or people coming to an understanding of what is in line if Trump wins?

Absolutely.

I think they understand that.

Our federal government will be fully reshaped by conservatives and far right-wing extremists who don't believe in government.

And we've seen what they've been capable of through the Supreme Court, right?

I think last week the number of Supreme Court decisions that were just absolutely devastating.

this country really highlighted how much is at stake.

And I think people are connecting the fact that President Trump had those appointments that shaped the court in the same way that, you know, his staff are leading the charge on Project 2025, which is a collection of far right-wing extremist ideas to really erode

public education, health care, other social security, Medicare, you name it.

And essentially fire a bunch of government employees and reshape what they think American government should look like in a way that doesn't align with our values or the majority of people in this country.

And I think we should all be concerned about that.

But the reason why people are sharing it is they're saying we need to get

Everyone sign up for whatever they can do.

Sign up for a shift to talk to voters, make sure you are registered to vote.

If you can vote early, do so, right?

And I think the fact that we're taking it seriously now this early before November is important.

And I believe we have to take it seriously and we have to do everything within our power as individuals and as a society to ensure that we have a fair and balanced and responsive and accountable government that works for us.

You know, you had mentioned the Supreme Court's decisions last week.

You know, they former President Trump, you know, promised he would deliver an overturned row, and he did.

I mean, he was responsible with his picks.

The same picks, though, came back, and I just want briefly on your comments on the immunity provisions.

What are you hearing from folks in terms of now that we've made our president a possible king?

It seems pretty pretty crazy.

I think that most people are just aghast and when it came out I know there was a lot of fury and now people are recognizing you know there is a way forward here that you know presidential immunity is really a threat of tyranny.

It's the opposite of

Small D democracy.

It's the opposite of what the rule of law in this country stands for, which is no one is above the law.

So people are frustrated and they're fired up and ready to vote in November.

This is attorney Mark Thompson.

This is your Paul Revere show.

We are here with Katrina Shanklin talking to it, keeping it forward.

We'll be back with more on immunity.

So this is your Paul Revere show.

This is attorney Mark Thompson.

I am privileged to have Katrina Shanklin with us today talking about the race up in Wisconsin's third congressional district.

Sort of on a lighter side, but a serious side at the same time.

What is this I'm seeing about you shaving?

your husband's head.

What's going on with this?

So we have a new ad.

It's our eighth TV ad out in three weeks.

We're really pleased with how it turned out.

We're getting great comments.

I never thought I would shave my husband's head.

I truthfully never even touched one of those electric shavers before, but the idea is we wanted to emphasize our experience.

So in the ad, I say, you wouldn't go to a barber who's never cut someone's hair before.

So I elect someone to Congress who's never held public office or gotten a bill passed.

And so I shave his head very, very poorly in the ad and he's making faces the whole time.

He was a great sport about it.

But what we really wanted to do was capture people's attention and make this debate or discussion about the primary fund.

We wanted people to engage in it and chat.

about experience in the race.

And I think my 12 years of getting things done in the legislature is what really appeals to voters.

They want someone ready on day one in Congress and they want someone who's won an election before and who's beaten a Republican at the ballot box numerous times, you know, someone tested.

And so I think that this ad really delivers on that message in a quick and snappy and fun way.

And we have been hearing from voters all day who love the ad and think it's a neat way to highlight my experience while also showing my husband and I having fun together.

Yeah, and I think it's it goes just beyond the primary two though.

I mean Your experience and delivering for people stands in stark contrast to Derek van Orden and I you know, it's It's important to think about Having this powerful position next time around in Congress

and whether Congress can actually get something done more, more done for the American people.

Absolutely.

I think there have been multiple times in the last few decades where we saw tremendous opportunities.

Healthcare reform is one, I think, comprehensive immigration reform is another.

you know, where people will sit down, ideally both parties would do it and they would come to a compromise and find a way forward for the American people on these huge issues that are in desperate need of reform.

And in those cases, you want people like me who've been in those rooms who sat down and said, all right, I'm not afraid to negotiate or compromise.

If it means moving the ball forward for my constituents, you know, I'll take what we can go line by line each yard.

Well, as long as we're moving the ball forward, I'm going to do it.

And

I think that that is an incredibly important quality in elected officials that we haven't seen in a while, especially because of partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin.

We've seen so much extremism from the Republicans in the legislature and in Congress because of partisan gerrymandering.

And I think my experience coming into office right after Act 10 when Scott Walker took control along with Republicans in both houses and still getting bills passed in my first term with the governor even highlighting a bill that I.

had specifically to help people with disabilities get supports for meaningful employment, I think that really shows that regardless of what the House looks like and the Senate looks like in Congress, I'm gonna be able to get things done for people and that's what they need.

They are tired of the infighting and bickering and they're exhausted at the lack of action on key issues like healthcare and prescription drug affordability.

I think people are grateful about the Inflation Reduction Act, but they're like, let's keep going.

We don't just want the first 10 drugs that are more affordable with Medicare.

We want all drugs more affordable and not just for Medicare recipients, right?

And so that's what I want to do.

I want to go to Congress and tackle big issues like lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

And I tell people, look, I've already done at Wisconsin.

I've passed six different bills that help lower the cost of prescription drugs for folks and several specifically to make epinephrine more accessible.

And I've introduced more on lowering the cost of insulin and capping it as well as capping the cost of epinephrine.

So when I say I'm going to stand up to Big Pharma, you can trust it because I've already done it for 12 years.

You know, the other thing that I think you've experienced and experienced with is dogs.

Fresh water, right?

I mean, you've been there at the fight, and we've seen how Walker and the conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court's flipping the law on, you know, deference to the DNR and controlling water and getting rid of PFAS.

Now we've seen on the national level, Trump's court wiped that out again.

I mean, we're gonna see an explosion of lawsuits over...

Many things that many of us have taken for granted for 40 years, that's really happened.

How do you see the freshwater issue playing out in your race?

I appreciate that question because not only was I very frustrated by the Chevron decision, which you just mentioned, Mark, which really undid about 40 years of precedent and really empowers corporations to roll back important protections in our laws.

But I've seen similar things in Wisconsin over the years and it's the.

what we need.

We have 140 million dollars of our state taxpayer money sitting in Madison waiting to be released, but Republican lawmakers on Joint Finance Committee won't do it.

And that's wrong because these are cancer causing incredibly harmful chemicals that stay in our bodies.

There are people on French islands in the town of Campbell in the third congressional district near La Crosse who have been drinking bottled water for three

years because of this issue.

And they deserve support and funding from state government and federal government right now.

And so I actually have an ad that we released in the last week, highlighting water quality.

It's called Jen Story.

And Jen is one of my constituents who I helped.

I worked with Governor Evers to launch a $10 million clean water program.

Anyone who makes under 100K in Wisconsin household income or business income can qualify if they have a private contemporary

need a well and they can't drink water from their taps because of it.

So whether it's PFAS or nitrate or bacteria, arsenic, radium, if they qualify they can get a new well, repair their well, or get a water treatment system, whatever works for them and whatever an expert says they need.

It's covered entirely up to $16,000.

So I have constituents all over central Wisconsin who can drink water from their taps now.

And we wanted to tell their story and show people that, look, when there's a problem, I'm going to work very hard to solve it.

And I'm going to do everything I can to do right by them.

And that's what I'll be doing in Congress too.

Thank you, Katrina Shankland.

This is the Paul Revere Show.

Folks, remember, civic media is going to be covering the Republican National Convention.

Monday through Thursday, keep up on all of Civic Media Radio's networks coverage online, civicmedia.us slash RNC.

Stay up to speed, watch this folks, get out to vote, register to vote, and hey, this is a plug.

Vote for Katrina Shankland on August 13th.

Thank you.

Thank you.