Primary Results Show Continued Momentum for Health Care Reform
Monday, September 15, 2008

Assembly Challengers Supporting Reform Sweep Primaries

The results of the September 9, 2008 State Assembly primaries add even more momentum to the movement for guaranteeing affordable health care to everyone in Wisconsin. 12 candidates who have publicly committed to supporting fundamental health care reform won primaries in every region of the state.

These primary winners include Ted Zigmunt (AD 2); Sandy Pasch (AD 22); Chris Buckel (AD 29); Trish O’Neil (AD 47); Tom Crofton (AD 50); Larry Zamba (AD 66); Nick Milroy (AD 73); John Waelti (AD 80); Judy Reas (AD 87); Kelda Helen Roy (AD 81); Chris Danou (AD 91); and Mark Radcliff (AD 92).

The general election will provide further opportunity for candidates of all parties to commit to real reform. Last year the Senate passed one of the most far reaching health care reform proposals in the nation, but the Assembly declined to take any action on fundamental reform.

“The primary victories of health care reform candidates considerably increase the odds that the Assembly will join the Senate in taking on the health care crisis,” said Linda Honold, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.

In addition, health care advisory referendums that will be on the ballot in more than 20 communities state-wide will give further impetus to reform. The referendums read: “Shall the state legislature enact health care reform legislation by December 31st, 2009 that guarantees to every Wisconsin resident affordable coverage as good as what is provided to state legislators.”

“It is widely accepted that a smaller number of health care advisory referendums in 2006 played a significant role in encouraging the Senate to pursue bold health care reform,” said Robert Kraig, Director of Program for Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “This election should produce an even stronger public mandate for the Legislature to get to work on the health care crisis.”