Frederica Freyberg:

The race for an open seat in the 3rd Congressional District has all eyes on Wisconsin, as Democrats in the House hold a slim majority coming in to 2022. The Democratic incumbent narrowly held on to the 3rd in the western part of the state in the last election and is not running again. But his Republican challenger is and has not stopped campaigning. Donald Trump won the 3rd and it’s a firm swing district. Into that political environment steps newly-announced Democratic candidate for the 3rd Congressional District, State Senator Brad Pfaff. He has served as the executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, has served as the deputy chief of staff for the outgoing representative of the 3rd, Ron Kind, and was elected as the state senator of the 32nd district in Wisconsin in 2020. “Here & Now” extended an invitation to Republican candidate Derrick Van Orden, who declined for this week. Tonight we talk with Brad Pfaff and thanks very much for being here.

Brad Pfaff:

Well, thank you for having me. I greatly appreciate the opportunity.

Frederica Freyberg:

Good. So how do you compete against your Trump-endorsed challenger in a district that the former president carried?

Brad Pfaff:

Oh, I feel very comfortable where we are here. I have deep, deep roots in this district. My family has been farming in this area since they first came to this country in the 1800s. I know this district. I know the people. I know the communities. I understand the values of what people go through every single day in order to put food on their table and to make sure that they raise their families and move forward in their careers. All politics is local. A lot of people are going to try and nationalize this race, but we need to recognize the fact that at the end of the day, it’s the people here in western Wisconsin, in west-central Wisconsin who will make this decision. They want a candidate that understands them, who they are, what they stand for, what it means every single day to get up and go to work and to raise a family and that’s who I am.

Frederica Freyberg:

As to that, what are your top priorities should you represent the 3rd Congressional District?

Brad Pfaff:

Well, I strongly believe that Washington must do better and it’s obvious that we need to make sure that we have an economy that works for all of us. Regardless of our background, regardless of our education, we need to make sure that we have an economy that continues to provide possibilities and provide opportunities. We need to make sure that our small towns and our main streets and our family farmers have opportunities to succeed. We also need to make sure that we stick to our values, the values of hard work, dedication, resilience. And when times are tough, we come together and we work together to get things done. Sadly what’s happening right now is there’s been a breakdown. A breakdown in social discourse. Sadly, we see that at some of our local school boards. We recognize the chatter that’s taking place on social media. And honestly, January 6. January 6 does not represent the values of the people of western Wisconsin. And we can do better and we need to prioritize the people here in this district and I’m stepping forward and running.

Frederica Freyberg:

On infrastructure and social spending, now gripping Washington, would you be in the camp looking to spend more or spend less?

Brad Pfaff:

Well, I come from a background obviously that we pay our bills. You know, I come from an agriculture background. The thing is at the end of the day, we need to make sure that we have to live within our means. But I also recognize the fact I’m here every single day for my constituents in this district. The real need for improvements in roads and bridges so we can get our products to market. We can get to our jobs. The need for child care. The need for broadband. The need to make sure that we have lower prescription drug cost prices. All of that is very, very real. I’m not in Washington right now. I can’t tell you the back and the forth of the negotiations that are taking place, but I can tell you this. We need to recognize the fact that we got to give our people an opportunity to succeed in today’s economy. And there are resources that we need to invest in. But we also need to live within our means. And we’re thrifty people here. We’re hard-working people in this part of the state. We recognize the value of a dollar. And that’s who I am and that’s where I come from and I will always, always recognize that it’s the people’s money, it’s the taxpayers’ money. And so any investment that we make will be investment that will be a good return on all of our money.

Frederica Freyberg:

So Wisconsin Republicans, as you know, are embarking on an investigation into the 2020 presidential election and your challenger traveled to Washington D.C. for January 6 but says he left when it turned into an insurrection. First, what is your reaction to the persistent drumbeat that the election in Wisconsin could have been rife with fraud?

Brad Pfaff:

Well, that’s the key word, could be. It wasn’t. They don’t have any evidence of that. I mean, this — they’re spending taxpayer money that — unnecessarily here. They’re stoking and getting people excited about something that does not exist. We have opportunities to come together, to make sure that we beat this global health pandemic, to make sure that, you know, we provide jobs and opportunities for the people of this state. We have opportunities to continue to invest in transportation. But instead, there’s something going on here as far as continuing to perpetuate, you know, the “Big Lie” about the election and that is something that obviously, you know, I’m disappointed in that. I speak to my county clerks and my city administrators and city clerks all the time. Some of them are Republicans, some are Democrats. They’re doing their job. And so there’s no evidence there. In regards to my opponent, Republican opponent, he was in Washington D.C. on January 6. He was on the Capitol grounds. Why was he there? What’s going on? That’s not who we are here in western Wisconsin. That’s not our values. Our values are to put our head down and work hard and get things done. And when times are tough, we come together in order to make sure we help our neighbors and help out one another. As I like to say, you know, I’m from a farm. I grew up on a farm. And on the farm, we used our pitchforks to lift hay, not to tear down Congress. And that’s a disappointing thing that happened in Washington on January 6.

Frederica Freyberg:

We need to leave it there. Thanks very much for joining us. Brad Pfaff, thank you.

Brad Pfaff:

Thanks for the opportunity.

Frederica Freyberg:

Redistricting could also affect the 3rd Congressional District. That process is currently underway and already in the courts.