Below are answers from gubernatorial candidates who provided responses to our request for information about NOW issues that were not already declared in their campaign materials or on their websites.
Andrew Lust
Reproductive Rights and Justice
I 100% support Roe vs. Wade, and I am strongly against banning abortion, however I believe that we should lower the amount of unwanted pregnancies buy doing away with the unless abstinence only sex education and replace with a more well rounded course. I am believe birth control should be more affordable and readily available for those who need it, and there also needs to be mire options available more men than just condoms, vasectomy, and abstinence.
Economic Justice
See Andrew Lust’s website.
Ending Violence Against Women
Ending violence against women, is easier said then done. It starts by caring for boys, and teaching them that violance is never the answer. Women should also learn that dating the “Bad Boy” is never a good idea. However when violence does occur, women should not be afraid to speak up, and the who commit it should be held accountable for their actions.
Racial Justice
1.) Hold Police Accountable for Police Brutality. 2.) Legalize the recreational use of marijuana and decriminalize most other drugs, because despite drug use is the same per capita, African-American men are far more likely to be arrested for it. 3.) I will invest in community outreach programs that keep at risk youth out of gangs.
LGBTQ+ Issues
As a member of the LGBTQ+ Community it is a no brainer that I support LGBTQ+ issues, and if I am elected governor I will veto any “bathroom bill” and fight to end discrimination regardless of race, gender/gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Constitutional Equality
I will support any law or constitutional amendment banning wage discrimination. I will give extra funding to schools that encourage girls to take shop classes and boys to take home economics and infant – child care classes. Because we need more female Welders, Electricians, and Engineers. As well as more male Day Care Teachers.
Mahlon Mitchell
Reproductive Rights and Justice
More information on Mahlon Mitchell’s website.
Ending Violence Against Women
Violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights. Its impact ranges from immediate to long-term multiple physical, sexual and mental consequences for women and girls, including death.
Fully support and train first responders. Wisconsin must provide funding to local law enforcement to increase response rates of crisis calls, and properly train first responders who who respond to domestic calls.
Increase rate of prosecution and state penalties for repeat offenders. As governor, I will pursue means to increase the rate of prosecution and conviction of offenders who commit violence against women and look at increasing state penalties for repeat sex offenders who commit violent acts against women to ensure that women will no longer be in danger in their communities.
Invest in community support programs for victims and loved ones. It is imperative for women and girls to have a circle of support in times of crisis. I will invest in community programs and shelters for domestic violence victims and their dependents whose homes are no longer safe. We know that violence against women extends beyond domestic situations to dating as well. We need to make sure that Wisconsin’s young people are safe and empowered with the resources they need to combat issues of violence but also have access to the proper authorities and community help they need and deserve.
Racial Justice
Wisconsin is now the state with the highest incarceration rates of African Americans in the country. We currently spend more tax dollars on the Department of Corrections than we do the UW System. It’s hard being a racial minority, a struggle made greater at the intersection of race and womanhood.
Rehabilitate and reintegrate. As governor, I will end the era of our criminal justice system being a warehouse for people of color and institute rehabilitation policies so that those who have paid their debt to society are able to re-enter their communities with the support they need to make real and honest contributions to our state’s economy.
End “truth in sentencing”and ban-the-box. We must end “truth in sentencing” and bring back a system of judicial decision making, along with a system of parole for those who we deem for it to no longer be necessary to be incarcerated. We will also “ban the box” that requires people to disclose their criminal convictions on job applications, something that unjustly targets racial minorities.
Community policing. We have to provide funding for better community policing programs so law enforcement is fully integrated into the communities they patrol and have a better understanding of those with whom they interact. That begins with restoring residency requirements for police officers so they live in the city in which they serve.
LGBTQ+ Issues
Those currently holding power in Madison and Washington DC have not stood with our LGBTQ+ friends and family. We must do more to guarantee equal rights to LGBT individuals. Mahlon is committed to fighting for marriage equality, strengthening anti-discrimination laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identity, and combating homophobia and transphobia both in Wisconsin and the United States.
Marriage Equality.The Constitution guarantees all Americans “equal protection of the laws” and it is essential that all states and the federal government grant same-sex couples the equal rights and dignity they deserve.
Discrimination. No one should lose a job or be denied access to a public facility because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. We must ensure the same protections that exist for other protected classes are there for LGBTQ+ people.
LGBTQ+ Youth. Many LGBTQ+ young people around the world face bullying and harassment in their daily lives. The entire state of Wisconsin must be a safe space, and all colleges and universities must implement policies to fight harassment.
Inclusion. I want to build a better Wisconsin, which includes becoming a more inclusive place for our residents. I will make sure the LGBTQ+ community has a seat at the table in order to ensure that we are taking the right steps forward, whether that includes protections through the current laws or passing new ones.
Constitutional Equality
It is 2018, and yet we are still stuck in the same debates we had one hundred years ago. The Equal Rights Amendment to our US Constitution was first proposed in the 1920’s and is a great place to start when talking about a constitutional guarantee of women’s equality in Wisconsin.
Those who identify as women deserve to have every right as those who identify as a man. I’d extend this concept to those who have chosen no gender identity. For too long, we have seen women face harassment and sexual assault, which have, until recently, gone unheard.
Not only do we need to add more protections for women, we need to look at what laws are on the books and find areas for improvement. As governor, I have no problem with beginning the process to amend the Wisconsin constitution to include a constitutional guarantee of women’s equality on day one.
We need to also begin to address some of the root causes of the pay inequity that exists between men and women. All women deserve equal pay for equal work and deserve a governor who will work every day to close the wage gap.
Kelda Helen Roys
Reproductive Rights and Justice
As a proud, lifelong supporter of abortion rights and reproductive justice, there is no question that I will champion the full autonomy of women to make their own health care decisions, free from any political interference. I also support the expansion of reproductive justice, from repealing the Hyde Amendment, the Mexico City policy, and other funding restrictions, to ensuring culturally competent care and reducing infant mortality. I believe bearing healthy children is a reproductive right as well, and so support universal paid family leave and affordable, safe childcare. I also authored the Right to Breastfeed Act. I see reproductive justice and wellbeing as a thread throughout women’s lives – we must honor and protect the full spectrum of reproductive rights throughout a woman’s lifespan (and men’s too!).
I support the full range of reproductive choices – every person should decide when and whether and how to bring a child into the world for her or himself. I do not believe that politicians should have any role in these personal, private, family medical decisions. Women – in conjunction with their care providers – should have control over their own bodies, health, and lives. As Governor, I can have a tremendous – virtually unparalleled – impact on the state of reproductive rights in Wisconsin. I will be able to veto any anti-choice or anti-woman legislation passed by the legislature. I will also have control over DHS policy that affects Medicaid, Badgercare, abortion counseling materials, etc. I will have the opportunity to appoint judges why may see young women seeking judicial bypass of parental consent restrictions. In short, as Governor I can reverse the terrible anti-woman, anti-health, and anti-choice policies of the last 8 years, and start rebuilding opportunity and fairness for all Wisconsin women and girls.
Economic Justice
Economic justice means that everyone has an opportunity to succeed. We must combat economic inequality, where virtually all of the gains in our economy have gone to the top 1%, and the top .01%, while the middle class and the poor see rising costs and fewer opportunities. I will make Wisconsin’s tax system much more progressive, by ending corporate welfare and increasing tax rates on the very top income earners, so we can invest in the things that make our state and our economy stronger – excellent public education for every child, higher education, health care, retirement security, and small business growth. We all do better when we all do better.
Ending Violence Against Women
As a longtime supporter of DAIS, I believe we must work to eradicate all violence against women and girls, and all intimate partner violence and sexual assault. I support funding for violence prevention starting with young people, as well as making intimate partner violence prevention part of our healthy youth/sex education curriculum. I also support funding for shelters and support organizations working with women who are victims of intimate partner violence. We must ensure that DV survivors do not face discrimination in housing, employment, or health care, and that their privacy is protected in databases like CCAP. We must keep weapons out of the hands of abusers. I also believe we must address human trafficking, which is a particularly heinous form of violence against women. I support safe harbor laws which criminalize trafficking and ensure that victims are given support and services rather than thrown in jail. Most importantly, we must combat the culture of toxic masculinity that equates violence with strength, and harms all of us – men and women, boys and girls.
Racial Justice
Ending racism and promoting diversity is not enough, however. I believe racial justice is a critical issue in Wisconsin and the United States. As a supporter of Black Lives Matter, and a longtime advocate for reforming our criminal justice system that has some of the worst racial disparities in the world, to ensuring equity in community investments like transit, housing, health care, and economic development, I am passionate about racial justice and equity. I take an inclusive and intersectional approach to addressing injustice, and my administration would work to align our state’s government with the goals of ensuring racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. I live these values as an employer, community leader, and donor.
LGBTQ Rights
I support ensuring civil rights for people of all gender identities, including the right to be free from harassment, discrimination in health care, housing, employment, etc., and the right to use a bathroom of one’s choosing. I have been a vocal advocate for same-sex marriage and trans rights for more than 20 years, and was spurred to go to law school in part because I wanted to help win the right of same-sex marriage.
Constitutional Equality
Governors do not vote for constitutional amendments but I would wholeheartedly support it.
Kathleen Vinehout
Reproductive Rights and Justice
See more information on Kathleen Vinehout’s website.
Ending Violence Against Women
As a society, we need to address the root causes of violence. They are complex and are part of our history and culture. Violence, particularly violence against women, is a major theme in our movies, video games and novels. The ideas that women are “property” and “property” can be used as the owner deems fit have not died.
Services, supports and education that deal with conflict resolution, anger management, bullying, and controlling behaviors can be expanded.
I support increased funding for domestic support programs and systems, and programs that empower girls and women. Those who suffer from domestic abuse and violence are often unable to reach needed services or support because of geographic, transportation, cultural or language barriers. Through proper funding of our overall health system, mental health and other domestic support services can be expanded to reach populations currently underserved.
Ongoing training to recognize where support might be needed, for law enforcement and other mental health/family support staff who interact with domestic situations, is another place that ongoing education can make a difference. We must also provide follow-up to make sure those accessing support systems don’t fall through the cracks.
Racial Justice
See more information on Kathleen Vinehout’s website.
LGBTQ+ Issues
In October 2014, the Supreme Court denied review of the Wisconsin case Wolf v Walker, in which two of my constituents, along with seven other same-sex couples sued the State of Wisconsin to recognize their marriages. This denial had the effect of legalizing marriage for all couples in Wisconsin.
I celebrated this hard-fought victory for my LGBTQ friends. But, there is still much work to be done. The far-right is working to undermine marriage equality with the false equivalency of religious freedom, and the transgender community is still without protections in many areas. I will continue to pursue anti-discrimination policies for all groups at all levels. I will fight alongside my LGBT sisters and brothers and, as Governor, I will be their strong advocate.
Constitutional Equality
I will support and work for an amendment to the federal constitution similar or identical to the Equal Rights Amendment which failed ratification by sufficient states when it failed to pass the Illinois General Assembly in the early 1980s.
Dana Wachs
Reproductive Rights and Justice
See more information on Dana Wachs’ website.
Economic Justice
See more information on Dana Wachs’ website.
Ending Violence Against Women
See more information on Dana Wachs’ website.
Racial Justice
See more information on Dana Wachs’ website.
LGBTQ Rights
See more information on Dana Wachs’ website.
Constitutional Equality
Dana supports the effort to amend the constitution to ensure equality for women. Dana’s fought for equal pay for women in Wisconsin and has advocated for this in the legislature and throughout his lifetime volunteering for the Democratic Party.
As part of his campaign for governor, Dana released an American Dream Initiative. In his first week as governor, Dana will push for changes in Wisconsin to enact a Wisconsin equal pay law and to prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their salary history — a tool often used to keep down the wages of women, minorities, and individuals with different abilities.
But Dana also believes that equality goes beyond pay. It is a fundamental issue of how we interact with one another in our everyday lives and is part of the institutionalized oppression of women, people of color, and minority groups. Advocating for all Wisconsinites is the foundation of Dana’s platform and the primary reason he’s running for governor.