We strongly urge Shepherd readers to vote for Tammy Baldwin for U.S. Senate.
There are vast differences between Baldwin and her Republican opponent, former Gov. Tommy Thompson, and Baldwin always proves to be the superior choice. Baldwin acts ethically, has sound judgment, supports mainstream Democratic measures that help middle-class and struggling families, and would serve Wisconsin with distinction in the U.S. Senate. Unfortunately, Tommy Thompson is not the same Tommy Thompson who served as our governor. His years in Washington and as a multimillion-dollar lobbyist have definitely changed Tommy, and not in a favorable way.
Baldwin hasn’t lived a charmed life, and she remembers her roots. She was raised by a single mother and her grandparents and, after struggling with a childhood illness, went without health insurance until she became an adult because no insurance company would provide coverage for her because of her pre-existing condition.
That experience has influenced Baldwin in a number of ways, but perhaps most importantly it led her to fight for health care reform during her long career in Congress. Most prominently, Baldwin introduced the provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance policies until they’re 26. As a result, more than 3 million young people now have insurance coverage. That’s so important for our young folks, since many of them work in entry-level or part-time jobs that do not provide affordable health benefits.
Baldwin has also shown sound judgment on some of the biggest issues facing the nation. While she supported the invasion of Afghanistan because of that nation’s connection to the 9/11 attacks, Baldwin voted against the Iraq war, the Bush tax cuts and Medicare Part D because they were put on the nation’s credit card. She’s also fought for Wisconsin industries—most notably when she sought and secured penalties against China for undermining Wisconsin’s paper industry.
Baldwin’s judgment also neatly contrasts with Thompson’s. Although she’s served in Congress for more than a decade, she’s never “gone Washington.” Her constituents are her priority, not her stock portfolio.
Lastly, Baldwin’s entrance into the U.S. Senate would help to preserve Democratic control of that chamber, a vitally important step when Republicans—including Thompson—have promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
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Baldwin is a hard worker and thoroughly committed to serving the state. We strongly urge Shepherd readers to vote for Tammy Baldwin for U.S. Senate.
