Political campaigns spend money. They want to put commercials on TV, radio and in newspapers. They pay for yard signs and send us endless postcards telling us who to vote for or against. Campaigns spend money, which means they need to raise money. They need to ask people to support them, to vote with their pocketbook before they go to the polls. And that’s where we find out who our candidates and elected officials will truly serve.

There are two candidates running for state Senate here in western Wisconsin. Dan Kapanke, someone we all know. He served us for eight years in the Senate. He worked to balance the state budget and turn Wisconsin’s economy and unemployment around. In his recent public report on campaign fundraising, Dan raised more money than his opponent. But more importantly, he raised it from folks right here in God’s Country. The vast majority of his campaign donors live and work right here, where people know and support Dan Kapanke.

The other candidate, Brad Pfaff is someone who seems to show up in La Crosse only when there is an election. He ran and lost in 1996. Then he left to go to work for the government in Washington D.C. When he came back in 2004 to run again, he lost again, so he left to go to work for the government in Madison. Now he’s back and wants to run again. But no one here seems to know and support Brad.

In his recent public report on campaign financing, two-thirds of his contributions came from places outside of western Wisconsin. Of course, a lot of them live in Milwaukee and Madison, but many of his contributions came from people in Massachusetts, California, New York and Washington, D.C. But worst of all, he took $50,000 from the State Senate Democratic Committee. The news recently reported that they got their money from the billionaire Democrat governor of Illinois. The Illinois governor gave Wisconsin Democrats $5 million. Brad Pfaff apparently got $50,000 of that. So far.

Dan Kapanke will serve us in Madison the way he has in the past. Dan will listen to us and represent us. Brad Pfaff has dropped in to run for election again. This time with money from the Governor of Illinois.