WTMJ-TV and Wispolitics.com held a live debate at Marquette University for candidates in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Sunday. The forum included Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, former Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, and Millennial Action Project founder Steven Olikara.
The candidates were unified in opposition to incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who they argued was preventing Congress from addressing issues such as reproductive health and gun control.
Speaking on the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, Nelson criticized those who failed to vote in the 2016 presidential election. He specifically named Godlewski, who did not vote despite working as the director of women’s outreach in Wisconsin for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Godlewski rebutted that “I don’t need to be lectured by any man on how important the 2016 election was.”
Additionally, Godlewski criticized her primary opponents — all men — for their silence on reproductive health issues before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. She argued that “if Wisconsin wants to restore its women’s right to choose, they’ll send the woman who will get the job done and defeat Ron Johnson in 2022 this November.”
Notable moments include:
- Barnes: called for new investments in education and good-paying jobs as a means to combat crime, further blaming much of Milwaukee’s issues on poor trade deals that he claims have undermined the city’s manufacturing sector.
- Godlewski: called for further congressional action on gun control, including universal background checks and a national ban on assault weapons.
- Lasry: said that he supports the use of federal spending to increase funding for law enforcement, invest in education, and workforce training.
- Nelson: noted that he had voted against concealed carry and immunity for gun manufacturers during his tenure in the State Assembly and that he currently supports red flag laws and background checks.
- Olikara: said that he worked through the Millennial Action Project to support federal legislation that would allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study gun violence as a public health issue and said that he supports universal registration.
Watch the debate: Watch the full WI U.S. Senate Democratic primary debate – YouTube
