The Shepherd Express enthusiastically and unequivocally endorses Tony Evers for governor. There are many good and honorable people running in this Democratic primary, but we focused on two things: Who would be an effective governor with good values, and who can beat Scott Walker.
This election is important for a couple of reasons. We need to change the course of our state, which, over the past eight years, has passed laws and created policies that one would expect in Mississippi or Louisiana. Compared to our neighbor, Minnesota, we are lagging in virtually every important indicator. Over the past eight years, the quality of life in Wisconsin has diminished except for the very wealthy. Most of our decline has been unnecessary and could be changed by a new governor. There is a reason why we are in the lower half of the 50 states in metrics like GDP growth and wage growth. We need a different governor.
Evers has been Wisconsin’s Superintendent of Public Instruction for the past nine years. He was born and raised in a small community, Plymouth, and worked as a teacher, principal and school superintendent in different small town and rural communities. As governor, Evers will focus on education at all levels, which Walker has neglected. He understands that education is the avenue to the middle class, and an educated population is one of the main components of building a strong economy.
Evers can beat Walker. He has won three statewide elections and in his last election received 70% of the vote. These were spring elections where the turnout is lighter, but the critical fact is that Evers won virtually all the northern rural counties that have been difficult for Democrats in recent years. He currently lives in Madison and, in elections, has does well in Dane County. He has also spent enough time in Milwaukee to thoroughly understand our community, our needs and what can be done at the state level to improve the lives of Milwaukee residents.
Also important, Evers does not need on-the-job training. As Superintendent of Public Instruction, he has learned to successfully navigate the state legislature, which will be important because he will have to work with Republican legislators. Even with a “blue wave,” the Democrats might be able to gain the majority in the State Senate, but winning control of the State Assembly will be very difficult since the Assembly’s legislative lines have been so dramatically gerrymandered. Tony Evers’ experience with the state legislature is important, because we need a governor who, on day one, can begin to get Wisconsin back on course and back to being the progressive state that was once respected throughout the nation and the world.
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After three successful elections, there has been absolutely no hint of any scandal or corruption where Evers is concerned. He was thoroughly vetted by the voters three times, and he came out a winner. The only real criticism you hear is that Evers is not a flashy guy. After eight years of a governor who has tried to be flashy and unsuccessfully tried to make it on the national level, Wisconsinites seem to be looking for someone who is honest, competent and looking out solely for what is good for the people of Wisconsin. That’s Tony Evers.
The primary race for governor is one of several items on the ballot on Aug. 14. See all of our endorsements here.
