52nd Assembly District Republican candidates talk economy, state government ahead of Aug. 9 primary
FOND DU LAC - Four Republican candidates are vying to replace Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt for the 52nd Assembly District seat this year.
Lawrence Foster, Donald R. Hannemann, Jerry L. O'Connor and Robert P. Thresher are on the ballot for the Aug. 9 primary, and one will go on to face Democratic candidate Joe Lavrenz on Nov. 8.
Thiesfeldt announced in December that he wouldn't run again after representing the district since 2010.
The 52nd District covers central Fond du Lac County, including the city of Fond du Lac.
Members of the Wisconsin Assembly serve a two-year term and are paid $53,000 annually.
Each candidate was provided a list of questions and were limited to a 100-word response. Answers have been lightly edited for style, grammar and length.
Thresher chose not to participate.
For more information on your polling location, how to register to vote and what's on your ballot, visit myvote.wi.gov.
Lawrence Foster
Address: 156 Cottage Ave, Fond du Lac, WI 54935
Age: 42
Occupation and highest education level: Business owner; information technology expert; pursued bachelor's degree in business
Relevant Experience: I hold memberships with and have dedicated service to many non profit organizations and was as leadership. Some of those are Fondy 100 Gives, Fond du Lac Noon Optimists, Back to School FDL Area, Fond du Lac Soccer Association Board of Directors, and Women's Empowerment. Additionally, I have dedicated service of seven years of city government boards. I am very actively involved and invested into our community.
Donald R. Hannemann
Address: N4587 River Road, Fond du Lac WI, 54937
Age: 46
Occupation and Highest Education Level: Small business owner, H-D Welding LLC; associate degree in marketing from Moraine Park Technical College
Relevant Experience: 27 years in the Army, leading, mentoring and taking care of troops for 24 years, both in peacetime and combat
Jerry L. O'Connor
Address: N5964 Joseph Court, Fond du Lac, WI, 54937
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired banker and businessman
Highest Education Level: UW Graduate School of Banking
Relevant Experience: Served as a Community Bank CEO and board chair; board chair for several organizations in the banking sector, the economic development and job creation sector and charity board initiatives. This gives me extensive leadership experience dealing with various levels of local, state and federal government policies and regulations. This allowed me the opportunity to travel to Madison and D.C. to meet with legislators to discuss how we could reach better solutions for citizens. These roles provided a working knowledge of how to lead, negotiate and influence desired outcomes in the different areas of interest I served in.
Why are you running for office, and what makes you the best candidate for this race?
Foster: It takes many at the table to collaboratively and effectively create a solid solution. Even with my campaign team of 14 people, each time a topic or an issue is brought to the table, I challenge them to see all sides of the issue before we move forward on it. Almost every decision that can be made will somehow affect our children. I would base decisions on what the outcome would be for my child, such as safety resources for schools, 100% support for law enforcement, education reform, energy and universal school choice.
Hannemann: I am running for office to make a difference for veterans and blue collar workers. I believe I am the best candidate for this office as I am a perfect sample of the 52nd district. I have worked in manufacturing for years as a welder, enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in February 1995, and after all my deployments I came home and started a small welding and trucking business.
O'Connor: I am running for this office because I sincerely care about where we are headed as a country. I am deeply concerned with the direction the woke left is taking America. My proven experience in business, economic development, jobs creation, education and charity initiatives position me to have an effective impact in the State legislature. My core beliefs are built on traditional conservative principles for social, economic and rule of law issues. With my combination of life experiences and commitment to conservative principles, I believe I am the person to best represent the citizens of the 52nd District.
What are residents telling you are their greatest concerns, and how would you address them?
Foster: From knocking doors to speaking at events, the most sought-out topic of concern is our children and the safety in the environment with which they learn in. Wisconsin currently has a $5.4 billion surplus. Ideally, it would be great to keep the surplus to offset current/near-future expenses, but if we were to utilize it, which the current proposed idea was to create rebates, I would actually push to use those funds and redirect them to invest in additional safety resources/tools for our schools as well as resources to assist with mental health issues, to help identify root underlying causes from outside of the school system.
Hannemann: I have heard a lot about the economy and regulation. Responsible spending and regulation that makes sense and is pro-business is an answer to these issues. I don’t believe the government needs to be in everyone’s back pocket at every turn of life; there should be some roll back in regulation.
O'Connor: I have spoken to hundreds of residents in our district. Concerns include pocketbook issues: shortages, rising prices and inflation! We need long-term sustainable conservative principles guiding our economy; Jobs crisis: Promote coordinated public/private initiatives; Outcome-based education: our students need to leave high school equipped with skills, trades or college prep. Increase the focus on employability and reduce the emphasis on leftist initiatives; Supporting law enforcement, rule of law and election integrity: our nation is lost without it!; Reduce government over-reach: control taxes, budgets and regulations; Protecting family and pro-life issues: Communicate conservative principles to respectfully influence the public discussion of these issues.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?
Foster: The most pressing issue is inflation. To cut high shipping costs, Wisconsin should concentrate on using local vendors and manufacturers as much as possible. We need to reduce spending. An example, Biden's Build Back Better Program: put that on the back burner as once we were to accept it, we are then required to adhere to unwanted spending required in that program. Wisconsin legislation needs to work to lower healthcare costs. Lowering healthcare costs can have a significant change and will help curb inflation impacts within our state.
Hannemann: I think the greatest issue facing Wisconsin is the lack of Wisconsin truly First legislation. To address this, Wisconsin’s honored veterans will become first and foremost to be taken care of and honored for their service. I would support or create legislation making Wisconsin not just a high tourism state, but a state people visit and then want to become part of our great communities, through word of mouth from current residents to others about how great it is to live here.
O'Connor: No. 1 is to take back our state government. The Wisconsin legislature passed a number of needed common-sense bills: addressing election integrity, economic, healthcare and school reforms; protecting honest citizen’s gun rights, among others. The governor set records with more than 100 vetoes. He chooses which laws to enforce or ignore. He has failed as a leader for Wisconsin. The Republican legislature is doing its job. Our immediate solution to this pressing issue is to elect a governor who respects the overwhelming will of the people’s elected representatives. The citizens want effective government where we serve the people in a fair, responsible, trustworthy manner.
Would you vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions, or to add exemptions to the law?
Foster: I am pro-life. I would support the current "life of the mother," and would support adding exemptions for rape and incest. For example, if my daughter, who is a very young teen, was raped, I would protect her at all costs. She did not consent to the invasion of her body nor did she consent to conceiving a child, especially at such a young age. That is just one example.
Hanneman: I would absolutely vote to include exemptions for rape and incest. In these situations there was no consent given to create the pregnancy, and the trauma endured by such terrible acts, there is no reason to force a person to deal with a pregnancy in which no consent was given.
O'Connor: I will not vote to repeal the current Wisconsin governing law on abortions. From a higher-level perspective this is not a simple issue, as the opposing sides differ on the value of the unborn child in the womb. I oppose abortion as a form of birth control but I am also empathetic to the extreme cases of rape and incest victims. However, it is difficult to support the idea of terminating the unborn child in any circumstance. I stand with the children alive today who are thankful that their lives were not terminated as a result of rape or incest.
What are your views on gun violence and what can the Legislature do to address it?
Foster: I do understand that there are very extreme cases of gun violence and Wisconsin legislation should work to support investigations, but more importantly, find solutions to the root causes of these acts of gun violence. That starts with root causes and mental stability of the gun handler. Wisconsin can be a template of what other states can follow. Building a foundation of solutions will help bridge the gap between other states in bringing America closer to solving an outrageous acts of violence issue.
Hanneman: I do not condone gun violence, and think it is a terrible act. I also do not condone over-regulation of gun ownership. I believe education and paying attention to those who ask for help is the most important thing here. There have been signs of something bad coming posted or shown in behavior in almost every mass shooting. Law enforcement needs to pay attention to the signs of bad things to come. More funding for more law enforcement should be a priority.
O'Connor: This is a challenging issue because it involves a contractual right given to citizens in our Second Amendment to the Constitution. I am not callous or insensitive to needless killings. A gun is the last piece of the puzzle we need to examine as to how this violence is originating. We should ask ourselves: what impact comes from violent mind-numbing video games; what role does the movie industry play with its glorifying violence; or what effect do anti-depressants and broken homes have on our society? I would consider legislation that does not restrict the rights of Wisconsin’s legal gun owners.
What would you do to make voting more accessible in Wisconsin to people with disabilities and others with transportation challenges?
Foster: First and foremost, I 100% stand behind election integrity. We need to learn from previous mistakes and move forward being proactive with our requirements. I support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Legislation needs to work towards more effective solutions to make sure every citizen under the ADA is guaranteed their vote. To know that citizens who fall under the ADA may not have effective means for voting is unacceptable.
Hanneman: There are several ways to help people in these situations. The municipalities in which these people live in can arrange for transportation to take these people to and from the voting polls, this can be initiated by a family member or the person themselves contacting the municipality that they are in need of assistance to vote.
O'Connor: The right to vote is a serious matter. I believe Wisconsin has the necessary tools to make voting accessible to all voters regardless of circumstances. We have absentee balloting available for the groups identified above. I find the objections to the Voter ID law, which is often brought up in this discussion, to be a superficial exercise. If someone wants to vote, they can do so in Wisconsin. Any voter serious about their right to vote will find a way to submit a vote according to the laws of the State. "Make it easy to vote and hard to cheat."
Do you support dismantling the Wisconsin Elections Commission?
Foster: At this time, I would not support the dismantling of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Only after I have been presented a demonstrated alternative that would be better suited for Wisconsin would I consider the abolishment of the WEC. If an alternative is proposed and would adhere to the election integrity standards that we require, then I would support it. Additionally, I support a complete ban on ballot drop boxes, the practice of ballot harvesting, and ban the use of third party dollars such as Zuckerbucks.
Hanneman: This is my first dealing with them and really have no stance either way without more information.
O'Connor: There were numerous issues with the Wisconsin Elections Commission in the last election that resulted in cases going before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Court in turn ruling on multiple occasions that WEC violated Wisconsin’s election laws. That is unacceptable. I would consider moving the WEC staff and the election process back to the Secretary of State’s office where, as the governing official, the people have the right to vote that person out of office for violating state election laws. Whatever the decision in the next legislative session might be, we cannot afford another outcome as we had in the last election.
Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: 52nd Assembly District candidates share concerns before Aug. 9 primary
