Steven Potter:
Democratic Senate candidate Kou Lee. Thank you for joining us.

Kou Lee:
Thank you for having me, Steven.

Steven Potter:
Let's get right into it. You're an entrepreneur and a business owner. Specifically, you own a restaurant in Appleton.

Kou Lee:
Yes.

Steven Potter:
Why do you want to be a U.S. senator?

Kou Lee:
You know, Steven, that's a really good question. For one, I think that our country, we have -- we all could agree that we, we came a long way when it comes to liberty, when it comes to freedom, democracy but I still think that we got long ways to go. As you can see what is happening around us right now from the Supreme Court and also, you know, what we see around us, but ultimately, you know, I want to fight for the little people. I want to fight for the American people. I want to make sure that the boys and girls who grew up in a place where, you know it's being disadvantaged or they don't have much I want to provide hope to those young people. I want to provide hope to, you know, the Asian minority groups that we could achieve an American dream and that we could, you know raise to the highest level to help our country, to protect democracy. Those are the things that I think it's important to us. And that's why I'm running.

Steven Potter:
If you were elected what would your legislative priorities be?

Kou Lee:
Steven, you know, there's so much that we could do as a United States Senator or as a country. But to me, there are some priorities. There are some things that we must do as a country. For one education, by almost any measure the United States has failed to prepare our children for the challenges of the 21st century world. We are lagging behind the rest of the world in math, science, and engineering. And we're being outperformed by countries like China, Canada, and Europe. And that is a fundamental that I think it's a problem. It's an American problem that begs for attention and it should be as important to us as winning the Cold War of the last century. And also, you know, I, myself as a minority who's the first-generation college graduate, you know, we have to help the middle class, the lower-class families to make sure that we could help them get to college, stay in college and graduate from college without being saddled with the lifelong of college debts. Those are important issues.

Steven Potter:
On the economy, inflation has reached a 40-year high. What action should federal lawmakers take on inflation?

Kou Lee:
When it comes to inflation, I think the uh, national reserves, uh and the Biden administration I think they are doing a pretty good job of of what a government should do to kind of slow down the process. The wealth has been shifted from the middle class up to a few individuals that actually is holding a lot of wealth right now. Corporations have now concentrated and consolidated, become big companies, big corporations where they can control the channels. Yeah. And, and so what you're saying is that they could increase prices anytime they want. They could decrease any time they want but the decreasing part and the part that they share the profit with the American public has not happened yet.

Steven Potter:
Shifting on to gun violence there have been hundreds of mass shootings this year. There's been an uptick in gun deaths. President Joe Biden recently signed new gun control measures into law. How would you address gun violence as a senator?

Kou Lee:
You only have to be 18 to own a gun, but you have to be 21 to drink. And I think that's kind a little bit ironic here. And I think we have to evaluate that as a country. And the only way to change that is that the American public will raise these questions and reach out to their elected officials and demand change. Otherwise the big money, the lobbyists these are the people that will control our lives. And we have to take that back to the American public. We have to put the power back to America.

Steven Potter:
The Supreme Court has overruled Row versus Wade, which now returns the decision on abortions to the individual states. How should U.S. senator -- what should U.S. senators do on the matter of abortion?

Kou Lee:
When it comes down to matters affecting your freedom, I will always come down your liberty, your privacy, your right to choose. And it's unfortunate what we saw and what's happening right now in our country. It's a right. It's a fundamental right that has been in place for 50 years. And now we are appealing that, repealing that. And what's next? I mean, civil rights, voting rights, marital rights? It's a religious theocracy that we are imposing on America, which is not healthy for democracy. And this will lead to many, many things down the line. Ultimately, you know, more government control.

Steven Potter:
Senator Ron Johnson has won election twice. Why are you the Democrat who can beat him in the general election in November?

Kou Lee:
Mr. Johnson, when it comes to Johnson, I am, I too believe that we should remove him from the office with the things that he has done for us. It's not taking us forward. It's actually capping us, capping our growth as an America, as a state. And we must retire him. As long as he's making his money, that's all he cares about. And that's unfortunate. And I think that what we need is a person with the clear conscience with the good moral compass that will stand up to this type of behavior. And I will bring to the United States Senate honesty, integrity, and respect. I think I could restore that instantly for Wisconsin, for America. And I think I would represent that well on the world stage as well.

Steven Potter:
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kou Lee. Thank you again for joining us.

Kou Lee:
Thank you Steven for having me.