Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, which reaches into the Coulee Region in parts of Jackson, Juneau, and Monroe Counties, will have a primary election for their Representative to Congress to replace Rep. Sean Duffy who resigned for personal reasons last September. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties will have a two candidate Primary and the winners will face off in the May 12th, 2020 Special Election, and then possibly face off again in November!

The Republican Party has a couple of good but dramatically different candidates. Jason Church is from western Wisconsin, graduated from UW-La Crosse where he also played football, a Veteran of the war in Afghanistan where he led forty men on the battlefield, has a Masters and a law degree, and has worked on Capitol Hill for six years for Sen. Ron Johnson. Tom Tiffany is from northern Wisconsin, graduated from UW-River Falls, has experience as a dam tender and small business owner, and has spent the last nine years in the Wisconsin Legislature. This election brings thoughts of the 2018 US Senate primary where a younger Veteran with graduate degrees outpolled an older career (16 years) politician in most or all of the 7th Congressional District.

My recommendation to the conservative voters in the 7th Congressional District is Jason Church for Congress!

Experience counts. Tom Tiffany is running on his State Senate experience. But, I remember when then State Senator Glenn Grothman was first elected to Congress (WI-6th). He had a tough learning curve transitioning from one of 33 State Senators representing one thirty-third of Wisconsin’s population to being one of 435 Representatives representing one eighth of Wisconsin’s population. Jason Church has the experience edge with his military experience, his leadership experience in the military, and his six years working for a US Senator on Capitol Hill.

Education counts. Since his Afghan war experience, Jason Church has earned a Master degree and a law degree. Both candidates have an undergraduate degree from a UW campus.

Endorsements count. On the surface, both Jason Church and Tom Tiffany appear to have an impressive list of endorsements from individuals and organizations. I am most impressed that Jason Church is endorsed by two US Senators (including Sen Joni Ernst of Iowa) and three US Representatives; the people that best know the roles and responsibilities of the office he is seeking and who have seen him at work when he worked for US Senator Ron Johnson. Equally, I have to question a press release from last November “The Badge Backs Tiffany for Congress” sharing that nine current Sheriffs in the 7th Districts 26 counties have endorsed Tom Tiffany; less than 35%! Then, digging deeper, I found the 2018 Wisconsin Professional Police Association Legislative Scorecard with Senator Tom Tiffany ranked 27th out of 29 Senators. I have serious doubts “The Badge Backs Tiffany”! One of the individuals to endorse Tom Tiffany was former State Senator Leah Vukmir; the same candidate that was outpolled in the 2018 US Senate Primary in most or all the 7th District. Finally, I read the Americans for Prosperity-Action endorsement for Tom Tiffany which concluded: “More recently, he has authored legislation at the request of the major network partner to modernize Wisconsin’s heavy truck weight limit regulations. It is worth noting that a significant donor intent issue is at play here.” What does “significant donor intent” really mean?

Based on experience, education, and endorsements, my recommendation to the conservative voters in the 7th Congressional District is Jason Church for Congress!

You may not live in the 7th Congressional District, but that doesn’t keep you from getting involved. Encourage your family, friends, or professional associates that live in the 7th District to vote for Jason Church in the Republican Primary on February 18th.