Baldwin lays out Senate campaign themes
Supporters urged not to take anything for granted
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is ready for a re-election fight.
Vowing to battle special interests and work for Wisconsinites, Baldwin laid out some of the broad themes of her campaign during a speech Saturday night at the Democratic Party Founders Day dinner in Milwaukee.
“Across the state, we have seen how special interests work to line their own pockets and have Wisconsin working families foot the bill,” Baldwin said. “Well, they can’t keep on undermining the American Dream.”
In a state President Donald Trump won in 2016, Baldwin faces a tough reelection. State Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield and Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson are competing for the Republican Party nomination to take on Baldwin in November.
Outside money has already poured into the race. The political network financed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch has spent more than $5 million taking on Baldwin.
Groups backed by Richard Uihlein, a Lake Forest, Ill., businessman who coowns Pleasant Prairie-based Uline Corp., have put in more than $4 million. Uihlein supports Nicholson.
Third-party groups have also spent more than $4 million in support of Baldwin.
Baldwin said special interests are against her “because they see me stand up to them, too. And they know I’m putting Wisconsin first. These special interests have a clear goal. They want to keep a system rigged in their favor.”
She blasted the Republican tax cut bill for “benefiting the wealthy one percent” and corporations, while increasing the national debt.
“And now, some in Washington are using this deficit as an excuse to call for deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare and could even put nursing home coverage to risk by cutting Medicaid,” she said.
Baldwin urged Democrats to orga-
nize for the fall, just as they organized last year to beat back a Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
“With millions and millions being spent by special interests, we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Baldwin said. “But I have something those special interests don’t — you. And I am blessed.”
Democrats have become emboldened in recent months with a string of special-election victories in Wisconsin and elsewhere. On Tuesday, liberal voters carried Milwaukee County Judge Rebecca Dallet to victory in the race for the state Supreme Court.
Baldwin, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee urged Democrats to not take anything for granted heading into the fall.
“We just can’t coast and ride on a wave,” Moore said.
Earlier Saturday, Baldwin spoke with workers in Madison and Milwaukee and was joined by Democratic U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.
“All I know is she is the $9 million woman standing strong, because that’s how much money has been spent against her,” Klobuchar said.
“Tammy Baldwin has not only stood up for the people of Wisconsin, but she’s very willing to take on corporate special interests to protect the people of Wisconsin,” Hassan said.
Republicans remain eager to take on Baldwin.
“Baldwin and her liberal allies in D.C. have opposed policies like tax reform that help Wisconsin companies and put more money back into the pockets of the hard-working families of our state,” said Alec Zimmerman, spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “As Baldwin struggles to connect with Wisconsinites ahead of the November election, she’ll have a tough time running from her record of picking Washington over Wisconsin.”