Announcer:
The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

Frederica Freyberg:
Candidates to be the next governor are pounding the snowy pavement and coping with stressful times, farmers find strength in connection.
I’m Frederica Freyberg. Tonight on “Here & Now,” we continue our interviews with candidates for governor. Tonight we speak with the first of many challengers in the Democratic primary. Then a story of tragedy and hope. As farmer suicides have increased over the years, increasingly, they’re asking for help. It’s “Here & Now” for December 12.

Announcer:
Funding for “Here & Now” is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

Frederica Freyberg:
As we continue our interviews with the candidates running in the Wisconsin primary election for governor, we start with current Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez. “Here & Now” senior political reporter Zac Schultz with more.

Zac Schultz:
Sara Rodriguez. Thanks for joining us.

Sara Rodriguez:
Thank you so much for having me.

Zac Schultz:
So for voters who don’t know who you are that well, tell us who you are and why you’re running for governor.

Sara Rodriguez:
So I am the current lieutenant governor here in Wisconsin, but I have spent most of my career in health care. I’m actually a nurse by background, and I’ve worked in so many different roles within health care. Whether it’s night shifts in the ER, all the way to being an executive within a health care system and one of my roles as lieutenant governor is that I get to go to all 72 counties, and I have done that every single year that I have been lieutenant governor. And when I talk to people there, they’re telling me the same thing, that they are doing everything right, but they’re feeling squeezed. And whether that’s accessible, affordable health care, cost of housing, cost of child care, we keep raising our taxes to pay for our public schools. I mean, these are the things that people are talking to me about, and these are the things that I would like to be able to address as governor.

Zac Schultz:
Is there a single issue that drives you as a candidate, or perhaps a lane within the Democratic Party that may define you?

Sara Rodriguez:
I think that I have so much experience within health care, which is a complicated space, and we’ve seen what’s happening now in Washington, where they’re taking away the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. So people who are going to get their insurance on the exchange. These are small business owners. These are farmers. These are people who are trying to make a living, and their premiums are going to double, maybe even triple in Wisconsin. And so having somebody who has that expertise in healthcare to be able to do that here in Wisconsin and actually make a demonstrable difference in people’s lives, that’s something that I’m really excited about.

Zac Schultz:
How much money do you think you’re going to need to raise in order to be successful in this primary?

Sara Rodriguez:
So — you know, I’ve been talking about this with so many different people, and it is going to be millions of dollars to be able to be successful in the primary. But I’ve got support all over the state. I’ve got endorsements in all 72 counties. I got the first statewide union endorsement. It’s AFSCME. It’s the public workers, municipal — municipality workers, and was just really proud and honored to be able to get that endorsement and excited about all the support that I’m seeing all across the state.

Zac Schultz:
When it comes to a competitive primary, how do you personally define the difference between negative campaigning versus defining differences between candidates?

Sara Rodriguez:
Well, we’re all going to have to make our arguments to the voters. We’re all going to have to say what we’re bringing to the table and what type of experiences we have that are going to make us good governors. And I would say for myself, I’m one of the only candidates – I am the only candidate in the race – who’s actually been able to flip a district from red to blue. I did that when I was in the Assembly. I’m also somebody who has extensive private industry experience but also has been in elected office. That’s a good balance between those two things. I know what it’s like to work shift work. I know what it’s like to be an executive within a large company and I know what it’s like to be an elected official. You’re going to need all those skills to make sure that you have a governor who’s going to be ready on day one.

Zac Schultz:
When voters are looking at all these candidates, should [they] be thinking more in terms of which candidate maybe has an issue they most closely align to or is it about electability?

Sara Rodriguez:
I think it’s both. I think you can look at the issues for all the different candidates and see if they align with your values, but then we also have to look to the general to see who’s going to be able to get across the finish line in November.

Zac Schultz:
Most of the candidates in this race have connections to either Madison or Milwaukee. What are you doing to reach the rest of the state, rural areas, exurban areas?

Sara Rodriguez:
Yeah, and I actually live in Waukesha County. And so that is not — that is very different than Milwaukee County. But what I am doing in the primary is I am again going to all 72 counties. We are doing listening sessions all across the state because I firmly believe you can’t lead unless you listen. And so that’s how I’m doing my outreach. I’m going to continue to do that tour all across the state, hearing what people want in their governor, hearing what’s going on in their communities, because all politics is local and we need to be able to listen to our constituents.

Zac Schultz:
What impact do you think Donald Trump will have on this election?

Sara Rodriguez:
You know, we see the chaos in Washington right now. And I think when we’re looking at who could possibly be the Republican governor candidate, that’s Tom Tiffany, there is very little daylight between him and Trump. And so if that chaos in Washington could absolutely trickle down into Wisconsin, if somebody is going to be electing Tom Tiffany as governor.

Zac Schultz:
Sara Rodriguez, thanks for your time.

Sara Rodriguez:
Thank you so much for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:
Over the coming weeks, you’ll get to know those running in the August primary for governor. Last week, you heard from two Republicans in the race. Up next, Zac sits down with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Zac Schultz:
David Crowley, thanks for joining us.

David Crowley:
So happy to be here. Thank you for having me.

Zac Schultz:
So for voters who don’t know you, give us the 30-second elevator pitch. Introduce yourself and why are you running?

David Crowley:
Well, I’m a husband. I’m a father. I’m the Milwaukee County executive and a lifelong Wisconsinite. And I was born and raised in the city of Milwaukee. And I know there’s so much that our entire state has to offer. And so I’m running for governor because I believe in the state. I believe in its people. But more importantly, I know how to deliver results. And I know that there are a lot of people who are dealing with the affordability crisis. And, you know, there are many families who are getting less, even if they’re making more — more money today. And so with life getting more expensive and families getting stressed, it doesn’t mean that we can’t help Wisconsinites out. And that’s why I’m running for governor to be a governor for all of us.

Zac Schultz:
Is there a single issue that drives you, or perhaps a lane within the Democratic Party that defines you?

David Crowley:
Well, I think the affordability crisis specifically, right, because things are rising in costs. Whether we’re talking housing, whether we’re talking groceries, we’re seeing in utilities and people are seeing the rise in inflation under this current administration, and they want somebody who’s going to be there for them, not just the governor who’s going to listen, but who’s built solutions from the ground up. Who’s going to make sure that people are at the table who are directly impacted by the issues we face to make sure that they can be a part of the decision making at the same time.

Zac Schultz:
How much money do you need to raise in order to be competitive and win this primary?

David Crowley:
Well, I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s unfortunate how much money is being spent in elections to this day. We’ve seen that we have been breaking many, many different records when it comes down to campaign spending. We’ve seen that in the two Supreme Court races here locally. But I also don’t think that we should play behind the eight ball. And so I’m going to continue to fundraise here locally to make sure that we have enough resources to get us over, not just the primary election, but to get us through the general as well.

Zac Schultz:
When it comes to a primary like this, what is the line for you personally between negative campaigning against a member of your own party versus defining maybe some flaws or some issue differences between you and an opponent?

David Crowley:
You know, these elections are opportunities for the electorate to know who each person is. And so we’re going to just stick to the facts, stick to the things that, you know, we have done on this, on this campaign trail, what I have done as the Milwaukee County Executive. This isn’t about mudslinging. This is really about focusing on how we are going to deliver results for those that we represent. No matter if you live in an urban, suburban or rural area, this is about how to make sure that we’re going to make life easier for those families, for those individuals, for those workers every single day. And that’s what we’re going to focus on, because that’s what matters. That’s not a Republican or Democratic agenda. It’s about the Wisconsin agenda.

Zac Schultz:
So for voters who only care about winning, of seeing their party win, do you think they should be focusing more on the issues that candidates represent or simply electability?

David Crowley:
Well, we got to focus on both. We got to focus on the issues that are affecting communities all across this entire state. But we also need someone who has experience. You know, I bring a very unique executive leadership, spending seven years in the state Capitol, but also serving as the county executive for the past five years. And so I’m the only candidate in this race that has experience in the legislature, but actually running a government, balancing billion-dollar budgets and really tackling the issues head on. So I think it’s a combination of both, but it’s about how do we continue, again to step outside of our comfort zone, go all across the entire state of Wisconsin to let voters know what we’re putting on the table.

Zac Schultz:
Most of the Democrats in this race have connections either to Madison or Milwaukee. How do you reach the rest of the state? Rural Wisconsin, outstate Wisconsin?

David Crowley:
Well, I think it’s no secret. I’m uniquely positioned to bring out more Democratic votes out of Milwaukee County than any other candidate in this race, especially winning with 85% of the vote with my last reelection just in 2024. But it’s about showing up. Folks want a governor who’s going to listen, who’s going to be there for them, and make sure that they’re at the table when it comes down to figuring out those solutions. And I’m the only candidate that has — that has a proven track record that I can deliver on the things that we’re talking about throughout the campaign trail. In 2023, you know, I worked together to build a coalition all across the state of Wisconsin, bringing stakeholders, government, business leaders to pass Act 12, which allowed for more money to come from Madison, to go to every local municipality, no matter its size, so they can invest in things that matter for them. Things like fire, police, housing, transportation, the quality of life issues that matter to those local residents. And I’m going to continue to do that as the next governor of Wisconsin.

Zac Schultz:
What impact do you think Donald Trump will have on this primary, first of all, and on the election in general?

David Crowley:
Well, I think that, you know, no matter who is in the highest office in the land, whether that’s a Democratic Joe Biden or President Donald Trump, they’re going to put their thumb on this scale. But I think it’s extremely important that it’s not just about fighting back against many of these dangerous policies that we’re seeing coming out of Washington, D.C. It’s about what vision, what agenda as Democrats are we going to put on the table? I know that I’m frustrated with who’s occupying the White House like many others, but also there’s a healthy level of frustration with Democrats and Republicans not being able to put an agenda on the table, not bringing a cohesive message to really energize the base and put something — put an alternative out there. And we’re going to do this on this campaign, making sure that folks understand that this is going to be a new campaign, whether you’re a Democrat, Republican or independent, or don’t care about politics in general. There’s room on this campaign race for you.

Zac Schultz:
All right. David Crowley, thanks for your time.

David Crowley:
Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:
Another of the total of seven Democrats running for governor, State Senator Kelda Roys tells us about her experience and candidacy in this interview with Zac Schultz.

Zac Schultz:
Kelda Roys, thanks for joining us.

Kelda Roys:
Good to be with you Zac.

Zac Schultz:
So let’s give voters the elevator pitch, introduce yourself and say why you are running for governor.

Kelda Roys:
I’m running for governor because Wisconsin needs higher wages, lower costs and more freedom. We face a huge threat from the Trump administration, and we need a governor who is willing to stand up to the bullies and billionaires and fight to protect Wisconsinites from their harms. At the same time, we also have an incredible opportunity to actually elect a governor who is able to govern and pass laws with a new, fairer legislature.

Zac Schultz:
Is there a single issue that drives you, or perhaps a lane within the Democratic Party that may define you?

Kelda Roys:
I think it’s all about making it possible for working people to have the freedom to thrive in this state. For too long, people have seen their wages stagnate or even go down. Meanwhile, the cost of living are skyrocketing. Everything from housing to healthcare, childcare and utilities is going up. We have to make Wisconsin a place where people can afford to live and have a good life.

Zac Schultz:
How much money do you need to raise to be competitive and win this primary? And will that leave any room for the general election after that?

Kelda Roys:
Yeah, I’m very confident that we’re going to have a good pot of money that’s been raised by the Democratic Party and national partners for whomever our nominee is. I think the primary, it depends on who all is running, but I’m confident I’m going to have the resources needed to run a strong campaign and prevail.

Zac Schultz:
When it comes to a competitive primary, you’re no stranger to those. What’s the difference, in your view, between negative campaigning against a member of your own party versus defining differences between candidates?

Kelda Roys:
Well, I think primaries are really important opportunity for voters to vet the candidates and see what their experience is, see how they perform under pressure. There’s going to be a huge spotlight on Wisconsin. This is an incredibly important, high-stakes race in one of the most pivotal states in the country. And it is essential that we have a governor who not only is able to stand up to the Trump administration when needed, but also capable of actually making the change that we need in this narrow window of opportunity that we’re going to have.

Zac Schultz:
When primary voters are looking at these candidates, should they be thinking in terms of which issue they most closely relate to a candidate or simply electability?

Kelda Roys:
Well, I think each voter is going to decide for him or herself what matters. And I ask everyone in Wisconsin for your vote on August 11th and November 3rd. But I really want to make the argument that whatever the issue that you care about is, the most important thing is having a governor who can win and who can actually get things done. I have spent over 20 years working in and around state government in a variety of capacities as a legislator in the Senate and the Assembly. As the only candidate running that served on the Joint Finance Committee, small business owner, mom, attorney and I have been able to get meaningful legislation passed on a whole variety of issues through every kind of legislature: Democratic, Republican, split. Those skills are going to be essential for our next governor, if we want to actually make change in this state.

Zac Schultz:
All of the Democrats running for office have connections either to Madison or Milwaukee. What is your job in terms of introducing yourself to the rest of the state, especially rural Wisconsin, that may not recognize your name?

Kelda Roys:
Well, fortunately I’ve spent my career traveling around the state and building relationships and trying to build democratic power. And I’m actually from Taylor County. I was born in Marshfield, grew up in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Taylor County, north of Highway 29. I’m the only candidate that had a pet goat as a child, and so it’s been really fun for me to travel around the state, areas where I have deep family roots or other connections that I’ve built throughout my career, reconnect with people and meet new people, and the reception has been really strong.

Zac Schultz:
What do you think the impact of Donald Trump will be on this election?

Kelda Roys:
I think that people in Wisconsin are feeling angry and hopeless about the economic situation. The chaos and the corruption that we are seeing by this administration is unprecedented, and we’re also seeing him shredding our Constitution and the rule of law. As an attorney and as a patriotic American, I think that what Trump is doing is totally unacceptable, and we need to have strong governors who are willing to stand up and hold him accountable, as well as, you know, his, you know, private paramilitary force that he’s building with ICE. We can have secure borders without violating people’s rights and destroying the things that make this country good.

Zac Schultz:
Kelda Roys, thanks for your time.

Kelda Roys:
Great to be with you. Thank you.

Frederica Freyberg:
Wisconsin health officials are breaking from new federal guidance on hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns and maintaining current guidance that babies should get the shot within 24 hours of birth. State Department of Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard shared more.

Ryan Westergaard:
The guidance from Wisconsin Department of Health Services is unchanged actually, and that is that all children should get vaccinated with three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, and the first dose should be given in the first 24 hours of life. This is a standard that has been going on for a very long time and has been very successful in reducing the prevalence of hepatitis B in Americans. And we’re very concerned that if that were to change that we would lose ground, that there would be more hepatitis B among infants. And that’s very dangerous because hepatitis B can cause lifelong chronic liver disease and result in cancer and cirrhosis and problems that we have the ability to prevent.

Frederica Freyberg:
How are patients and families to kind of make sense of childhood or even COVID vaccine schedules when the federal advisers are guiding one thing and the state is coming back in and saying, “No, maintain our current guidance.”

Ryan Westergaard:
Our hope is that we can put the best available science out there, communicate clearly on what we think the science says, understand that people will have questions. Encourage people to ask those questions of their clinician for whom — with whom they have a relationship, and when the science is available and those conversations happen, we’re confident that people can make the right decision. And in this case, the evidence is pretty clear that hepatitis B vaccination for all children is the safest approach and the most effective approach to preventing this particular virus.

Frederica Freyberg:
In other health related news, the number of farmers facing significant mental health challenges has been increasing for decades. But what can be done about it? “Here & Now” reporter Steven Potter has this story about the efforts of state-funded programs and the growth in volunteer groups stepping up to meet the need and help farmers. As a warning, the following story does discuss suicide.

Jennifer Webster:
He was always the happy guy who had a good story to share, and everybody’s like, “I never would have thought your dad would have done this.”

Steven Potter:
Growing up in northwestern Wisconsin where her family has raised cows and grown crops on the same stretch of land since the 1880s, Jennifer Webster remembers her father as a proud farmer.

Jennifer Webster:
I think my dad chose to farm because he truly enjoyed it. He enjoyed being a steward of the land.

Steven Potter:
She says the work was difficult but rewarding.

Jennifer Webster:
Especially like when you plant the crop, you see it through to the growing season and then you harvest it. And he really enjoyed to see all of his hard work pay off.

Steven Potter:
But over the years, things changed.

Jennifer Webster:
He had had a rough spring just with how the farming economy was going. He had mentioned to my mom that farming wasn’t fun anymore a couple of months before he had died.

Steven Potter:
And then her father, Brian Webster, made one last decision that would send shockwaves through his family and the local farming community.

Jennifer Webster:
He died by suicide, actually, on our farm in August of 2023.

Steven Potter:
While no one expected he would take his own life, her father did have known problems with his mental health, problems he was trying to solve.

Jennifer Webster:
He was actually seeking medical care for depression. He was on medication and actually was going to go to therapy. But for whatever reason, he couldn’t find a solution to different things that were bothering him.

Steven Potter:
The Webster family isn’t alone in the grief of losing a farmer and loved one to suicide. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, suicide in rural parts of America increased 46% from 2000 to 2020. That’s nearly twice the suicide rate of urban areas. More specifically, according to the National Rural Health Association, farmers and agriculture workers have a suicide rate that’s 3.5 times higher than the general population. Several individuals, organizations and government agencies are trying to make sense of these heightened suicide statistics. One of them is Karen Endres, who runs the Farmer Wellness Program for the State of Wisconsin Farm Center.

Karen Endres:
When farmers don’t take care of their emotional wellness, it becomes very challenging. They’re isolating. They also overwork, and it gets to be very stressful. The number one stressor for farmers is time management. There’s just not enough time in the day to get everything done that we need to get done to take care of our land, as well as take care of our livestock.

Steven Potter:
With her own experience as a dairy farmer, Endres says that agricultural work is full of uncertainty.

Karen Endres:
We don’t have a lot of stability, so that is a very large stressor for farmers is the market conditions. And in the world we are today when we just — we don’t have control over trade agreements and other things, and that can add a lot of pressure when you don’t know what your income will be.

Steven Potter:
Webster adds that there are several other stressors, like severe weather and sick animals.

Jennifer Webster:
You kind of have to be able to adjust.

Steven Potter:
But she says some farmers are not able to adjust and can’t cope with the pressure.

Jennifer Webster:
They don’t talk about it so they kind of crawl into a hole because farmers are very prideful. They think that they can manage it. We’re finding more and more farmers are experiencing depression because they’re keeping it all bottled up. So it’s really hard to really be able to express those and put your pride aside and say, and raise your hand and say, “I’m struggling.”

Steven Potter:
There are state-run programs designed specifically for farmers struggling with their mental health.

Karen Endres:
We connect farmers to either in-person or telehealth visits with licensed clinical social workers, counselors throughout our state that are interested in working with farmers.

Steven Potter:
Endres says a 24-7 mental health helpline as well as online support groups and therapy vouchers offered through the state’s Farmer Wellness Program, have seen a spike in interest over the last few years.

Karen Endres:
I’ve seen a lot in increase in the volume of calls, whether that’s more people being aware of the program or increased stress on our farms. But it’s all of us out there. We’re dealing in some very heavy times right now.

Steven Potter:
Overall, the 24-7 farmer helpline has seen nearly 750 calls this year, and the therapy voucher system has grown from about 200 vouchers issued in 2021 to 500 vouchers issued this year. Farmers are also becoming more willing to share with each other.

Karen Endres:
Our online support groups were up over 50% in attendance last year. We created a new group last year just to fill the demand of people wanting to connect, wanting to talk.

Steven Potter:
Aside from the cost of a therapist and the difficulty of finding one and getting an appointment, there’s another barrier that stops some farmers from seeking help with their mental health. And that’s the stigma behind admitting that they need help in the first place.

Katie Glanville:
They work really long hours, and a lot of them are just — you’re raised to be very independent and self-reliant.

Steven Potter:
Katie Glanville of Southwest Health Behavioral Services in Grant County, says that her client base of farmers and their problems continues to grow.

Katie Glanville:
The biggest ones I probably see are like the depression and anxiety. And then also, again, kind of starting to use substances to help cope because they don’t know where else to turn.

Steven Potter:
But once farmers do get some help, things begin to improve.

Katie Glanville:
Just helping to kind of get over that stigma or that kind of sense of, I’m really hesitant to do this. You can tell, like, they’re starting to take care of themselves a little bit more, or they’re starting to feel like spirits are up a little more.

Karen Endres:
We’re all working together to try to help farmers understand that it’s okay not to be okay.

Steven Potter:
Families like the Websters know that nothing will bring their loved ones back, but they can try to help other farmers from sinking so deep into depression and hopelessness that they end their own lives. And that’s where organizations like the Farmer Angel Network come in.

Jennifer Webster:
The Farmer Angel Network is an organization that focuses around farmer to farmer suicide prevention. We are an organization that, in western Wisconsin, really promotes fellowship and encouraging conversations in our community around farm mental health.

Steven Potter:
Through her chapter of the network, Webster and others have raised awareness about the struggles farmers face by hosting community events like picnics and educating health care providers. Their goal is to make farmers feel seen, recognized, and appreciated.

Jennifer Webster:
One other thing we do is we do what I call random acts of kindness. So we give gift cards to farmers where, especially if you’re a dairy farmer, going out for dinner with your family can be really challenging.

Steven Potter:
As she and her brothers and mother still at the Webster Farm know that help is needed now more than ever.

Jennifer Webster:
We definitely want to be able to give them a sense of hope that, that their life is, is worth living. Their farm is worth, is worth the fight. And just giving them a sense of hope and opportunity and providing resources for them to help them cope.

Steven Potter:
Reporting from Pierce County, I’m Steven Potter for “Here & Now.”

Frederica Freyberg:
If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate mental health help, call the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline.
For more on this and other issues facing Wisconsin, visit our website at PBSWisconsin.org and then click on the news tab. That’s our program for tonight. I’m Frederica Freyberg. Have a good weekend.

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Funding for “Here & Now” is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.