Wisconsin election preview: 36th Assembly Rep. Mursau, challenger Murray discuss the issues
Jeff Mursau is facing a rare challenge as he seeks a 10th term in the state Assembly in the Nov. 8 election.
Mursau, R-Crivitz, is running against U.S. Navy veteran and political newcomer Ben Murray, D-Porterfield, to retain the seat to which he was first elected in 2004. It's just the second time Mursau has faced a Democratic Party challenger for the seat in his last five general elections, and he won with 67% of the vote in the one competitive race, in 2018.
The 36th Assembly District is one of the largest in Wisconsin, covering the central part of Oconto; all of Florence, Forest and Menominee counties; about the northern three-quarters of Marinette County; and small parts of eastern Shawano County.
The Oconto County Reporter asked each candidate to fill out a questionnaire before the primary explaining why they are running and their positions on issues. Some responses were lightly edited for length or clarity.
Terms in the Assembly are for two years. For information about registering to vote and polling locations, contact your local municipal clerk or visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us.
Benjamin Jordan Murray
Address: W6768 Beech Road, Porterfield
Age: 37
Current occupation: Cost estimator
Highest education level: Associate degree in general studies
Political and public service experience: 11½ years in the U.S. Navy, including time as a Leading Petty Officer, 10 submarine deployments, leading sailors on shore and on covert operations at sea. Through my time in the Navy, I had to problem solve, sometimes while serving in very dangerous situations. I learned that it’s more important to take care of my sailors than myself. I will bring that mentality to legislating. It is more important to take care of my constituents than myself.
Contact information: benforstateassembly@yahoo.com
Jeff Mursau (i)
Address: 4 Oak St., Crivitz
Age: 68
Current occupation: Small-business owner, Wisconsin state representative
Highest education level: Attended the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Political and public service experience: Crivitz Village Board president, 1991-2004; State Assembly, 2004 to present; member of Crivitz Lions Club and Crivitz Knights of Columbus
How can people contact you? 715-927-2180 (cell); 608-266-3780 (office); rep.mursau@legis.wisconsin.gov
Why are you running for office?
Murray: I feel like neither side of the aisle wants to work together to solve problems. Political gridlock only hurts the people, not the politicians. We need leaders who are willing to compromise, cross the aisle, work together and actually try to solve problems facing Wisconsin.
Mursau: I’m seeking reelection because I’ve been effective getting results for our district despite the split government in Madison. I’ve done this by building bridges, listening to my constituents, attending local meetings, and advocating for the issues that are important to the people I serve.
What makes you the better candidate for this office?
Murray: First, I bring new ideas to the table. Career politicians tend to be set in their way of thinking and fail to problem solve.
Second, I am putting in the effort compared to my opponent, who doesn’t seem to care if he wins. If he brings the same energy representing you that he brings to the campaign trail, he won’t accomplish much. I have knocked on over 1,500 doors, met thousands of residents, and participated in community events, all while raising a family, exceling at my full-time job, and maintaining a small hobby farm. I will work harder for you than my opponent ever has.
Mursau: I’ve lived in this district my whole life. I raised my family here. Because of my deep roots in the district, I know the issues that matter, and those are my focus when I’m in Madison. I’ve built relationships in the community from both sides of the aisle in all policy areas and I often seek this counsel when I’m considering issues that come before me.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?
Murray: Clean water. We have spreading chemical contamination in our water, and a growing number of Wisconsin towns and cities cannot drink their water. This is an issue that impacts all of us and doesn’t care to which political party you belong. I would push to regulate chemical dumping, introduce ground water standards to protect those of us on wells, and re-introduce the "prove it first" law while fighting against the Back Forty Mine and protecting the Menominee River.
Mursau: The most pressing issue is inflation and the increased cost of goods and services. Every household is feeling it and making adjustments to pay the bills. My top priority is making sure you are able to keep more of your hard-earned money. That’s why I supported a budget that included the biggest tax cut in state history.
Would you vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions, or to add exemptions to the law (such as for rape and incest victims)?
Murray: I would prefer the final decision be a ballot initiative left up the people. However, I would support exceptions for rape, incest, health of the mother, and other common-sense applications of the abortion procedure (like to help after a mother has suffered a miscarriage).
Mursau: While I consider myself pro-life, I do understand that the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court will have major consequences for women all across Wisconsin and our country. A person's health care decisions should be private and left to that individual, their family and their medical care team. For those reasons, I support exceptions to a full ban on abortions because there are several unbearable situations when decisions about carrying a pregnancy to term is not for the government to decide. The Wisconsin law that was written more than 170 years ago is under a great deal of scrutiny and many legal experts are debating its enforcement. It will likely be up to the courts to decide.
Would you support policy initiatives to address the impact of climate change in Wisconsin? If so, what would be your priorities? If not, please explain.
Murray: Yes. I would encourage the use of federal funds to build a green energy infrastructure. This will create jobs and take pressure off of our energy grid. I would support investment in our energy grid to prevent rolling blackouts that have plagued states such as California and Texas and are being warned about in New England.
I would also encourage tax breaks for those who purchase battery-powered power tools. Small two-stroke engines put off more carbon than most cars do, so let’s make small changes where we can, where people can afford, and then reward them.
Mursau: Yes, I support initiatives to address the impact of climate change. Supporting healthy and sustainable forests is a top priority of mine. And, as chair of the state forestry committee, I understand that sound forest management can be an integral strategy to combatting the effects of climate change. Forests take carbon from the air and store it, thereby decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Durable wood products in our homes can continue to store carbon as well. I also support mass timber construction, which can also help mitigate the effects of climate change.
How should state government help Wisconsin residents combat the effects of inflation?
Murray: Repeal taxes on baby/infant products. Enact a nominal hospitality tax on hotels (tax out-of-state visitors to better our local lives), then lower income taxes on Wisconsin residents. This will allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. Cut wasteful spending from our budget so we can further lower taxes on the people.
Mursau: We can make sure they have more money in their pockets, which is why I voted for the state budget that contained the biggest tax cut in state history. The budget also put more money into the state's rainy day fund. Because of the sound fiscal budgets led by Republicans the past 10 years, Wisconsin did better than most states when COVID hit. We didn’t have to ask people to pay more. Instead, we were able to give back when people needed it most.
What should Wisconsin do to protect the democratic process and ensure the integrity of its elections?
Murray: We need to encourage participation in voting. Keep voter ID laws in place but expand the ease at which people who are disabled or work long hours can access the locations where they can get IDs and keep them free. Ensure there are polling places that are easily accessible and there are enough of them to prevent long wait times. Make Election Day a state holiday and encourage companies to offer time off to go vote.
Mursau: It’s important that every person can trust that our elections are conducted fairly and transparently. I have faith in the election clerks in our district and I appreciate the time they spent with me to go over their thoughts about how elections are and should be run. This session, I supported a review of the 2020 election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and I voted in favor of their recommendations to improve election laws. I also supported legislation to ensure our elections are secure and tightening up language in our statutes that is ambiguous and led to a lack of uniformity on how the election was conducted across the state.
Are the public schools in your district properly funded?
Murray: No. The state does not fund enough special education programs. We also need to raise teacher pay to aid in recruitment and retention. Also, the tax credit available to teachers for purchasing materials for their classrooms needs to be expanded.
Mursau: No, the public schools in our area are not properly funded. Due to the state funding formula, some of the schools in our district get very little to no state aid. That’s why I continue to fight for a $1,000-per-pupil minimum aid. While this won’t solve the problem, it will help with the 15% decrease in general aid these districts experience every year. While I was able to get more money in the state budget to help with high transportation costs, it’s still not enough to cover these growing expenses.
What should state government do about gun violence and crime in Wisconsin?
Murray: Universal background checks, expanded access to mental health treatment. Two-thirds of gun deaths in Wisconsin are self-inflicted. Also, offer tax credits/rebates for gun owners who take safety courses/buy and utilize gun safes.
For crime, we need to look into ways to support police departments with recruitment and retention, encourage community policing so the police are known and trusted members of the community (especially in urban areas), and engage with local police chiefs/sheriffs to seek their input in to what they need to succeed.
Mursau: We can’t solve real problems if no one is willing to listen, and this goes for both sides. People are hurting and they’re taking it out in extreme ways, whether it’s with a gun or burning down storefronts. I support our Second Amendment rights, but I also support policies that keep firearms out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.
I also want to increase access to mental health services to individuals who are suffering, and that includes our first responders. Oftentimes appointments can take several months for individuals to meet with a professional, and that’s not acceptable or helpful.
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.
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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Election preview, 36th Assembly: Mursau, Murray discuss the issues
