Knudson vs. Odeen: County Party Chairs' Closing Arguments

Editor's Note: Hudson Patch asked the chairs of both major parties in St. Croix County to provide a closing argument for each of their candidates involved in contested races on Nov. 6. Writing for the St. Croix County Democratic Party is chairwoman Susan Stori. Writing for the St. Croix County Republican Party is chairman Jesse Garza. Each writer was asked to make the case for their candidate in 300 or fewer words. The incumbent party gets the first word and the challenging party gets the last word.

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The Case for Dean Knudson 

Dean Knudson deserves another term as your State Assembly representative. In 2010 when Rep. Knudson was first elected he entered the office with several unique perspectives. As a small business owner Knudson understands the effects of state legislation and taxation. In addition, as mayor of the City of Hudson he learned the reasonability of being good stewards of taxpayer’s money while providing funding for the services that are needed to run a city. This experience is what we wanted and needed in our state leaders.

Rep. Knudson entered Madison finding record deficits, continued out of control spending at the state level, a stumbling economy, and local municipalities and school districts facing a fiscal crisis. In less than two months of being in office he entered a fight that was trying on even the most experienced state representatives. 

Instead of crumbling he remembered why he was sent to Madison and stuck by his principles to find that the people overwhelmingly supported responsible budgeting and fiscal discipline. Mass state employee layoffs were averted, property tax rates came down, businesses found Wisconsin attractive again as can be clearly seen with Uline building in the business park. 

Not only has Rep. Knudson earned another term but Wisconsin needs his common sense, positive thinking, and energetic new ideas to see us through to a prosperous future.

I believe in Wisconsin and the people who create jobs and educate our children. We need a working government that matches our people and Dean Knudson has helped get us get on this path. He refuses to raid one budget to fill another; he will not let the State of Wisconsin drive toward a financial crisis like in California.  We need leadership that understands the job creators and the true role of government.

Vote Dean Knudson on Nov. 6!

  --Jesse Garza, chairman, St. Croix County Republican Party 

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The Case for Diane Odeen

Over the past two years we’ve seen anger and divisiveness in Madison. We need representatives like Diane Odeen to help restore civility to Madison and work together to solve our problems responsibly.

The Republican agenda supported by Dean Knudson has been bad for jobs, education and middle-class families. He voted for record educational cuts while increasing taxpayer funding to private voucher schools in Milwaukee and Racine. He voted to cut technical college funding by $71 million and our universities by $315 million. He voted for $2.3 billion in special interest giveaways with no tie to job creation and nothing to improve communities. And he supported policies harmful to women, workers and struggling families

Diane knows and respects our values — they were instilled in her youth on her family’s farm. Since then, she has worked hard to make our area better through work with organizations like Rotary and FORWARD, a private foundation supporting local schools. I know she will bring that same work ethic and cooperative spirit to the State Assembly.

Diane understands the importance of quality education and economic growth. These issues are linked and crucial for our prosperity and future. I know she will work to protect K-12 schools and improve our universities and tech schools to ensure the resources needed to educate students and prepare them for the workforce.

Diane will work with leaders in the public and private sectors to create good, family-supporting jobs. She will stand for the best interests of middle-class families, not the special interests who have reaped the rewards of the current legislative agenda.

For too long, partisan ideology has trumped the needs of real people. Diane Odeen will be an independent voice for the 30th and bring strong bipartisan leadership to our state Capitol.

  --Susan Stori, chairwoman, St. Croix County Democratic Party

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