2012 Wisconsin Senate Debates: on Principles & Values


Tammy Baldwin: I fight for us; my opponent fights for the big and powerful

In his successful recall effort June, Gov. Scott Walker portrayed public employees as privileged. In the Senate race, Thompson and Baldwin each claim to be the champion of the middle class.

"People are asking the question, 'Who's fighting for us?' versus 'Who's fighting for the big and powerful,'" Baldwin said in an Oct. 2 interview in Milwaukee. "Whose side are you on is a classic question in some elections, and I think it's coming to bear very particularly in this."

[One analyst] said Baldwin is trying to "to recapture the notion that the Democratic candidate is the populist candidate," he said. "She's trying hard to portray Thompson as the tool of the elite."

The Baldwin campaign has labeled Thompson a lobbyist for companies his Health & Human Services agency used to oversee, a charge that Thompson angrily denies. "I've never been a lobbyist," he said in an interview. "That's absolutely a lie." Thompson is working to define Baldwin as a big-spender, calling her "out of the mainstream."

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debate Oct 5, 2012

Tammy Baldwin: FactCheck: Only 3 bills out of 105 sponsorships became law

Jeff Fitzgerald, a Thompson opponent in the Republican primary, suggested Baldwin had been nearly invisible during her 14 years in Congress when he said she had sponsored 105 bills and only three became law. We rated his claim Mostly True.

The number of Baldwin bills that became law is only one measure of her overall record--and one that can be misleading when viewed in isolation.

Source: FactCheck.org on 2012 Wisc. Senate debate Sep 27, 2012

Mark Neumann: A conservative believes in faith, family and country

Neumann said he's the most conservative candidate. "It's important to define what that means. A conservative believes in faith, family and country. It's the most important things in their lives, and I do," Neumann said.

The men seemed to agree on a lot of issues Wednesday night, like cutting federal spending and repealing health care reforms. Where they seem to differ is regarding what kind of candidate they think voters want to see, and whether that person is a seasoned politician or a newcomer.

Source: Fox 11 WITI-TV coverage of 2012 Wisconsin Senate debate Apr 12, 2012

Mark Neumann: Conservatives believe in faith, family and country

Neumann said he's the most conservative candidate. "It's important to define what that means. A conservative believes in faith, family and country. It's the most important things in their lives, and I do," Neumann said.

The men seemed to agree on a lot of issues Wednesday night, like cutting federal spending and repealing health care reforms. Where they seem to differ is regarding what kind of candidate they think voters want to see, and whether that person is a seasoned politician or a newcomer.

Source: Fox 6 Now Milwaukee on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debate Apr 11, 2012

Tommy Thompson: Declines debates because opponents "want to shoot at me"

Thompson also had some heated words when asked if he has been avoiding debates with other Senate candidates. "Everybody's upset because I'm leading. If I wasn't leading, if I was last place, nobody could care less whether I come," said Thompson. "The fact that I'm number one, everybody wants to shoot at me. Well that's nice, they are being gentlemen about it. We want to take your head off, so come on down." [For this week's debate], Thompson says he had prior engagements.
Source: WLUK-TV FOX 11 News on 2012 Wisconsin Senate debates Apr 9, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Wisconsin Senate Debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Tammy Baldwin on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for more quotes by Tommy Thompson on Principles & Values.
Candidates and political leaders on Principles & Values:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 05, 2018