Tony Evers:

There’s a veto pen to protect and we’ve got bags to pack for Ron Johnson. So, holy mackerel, we’re going to need your help to get it done again in 2022.

Frederica Freyberg:

Governor Tony Evers’ message to Democrats as he announced his reelection bid. It’s true, as Republicans work to block his agenda and authority, the Democratic governor blocked their legislative agenda by veto. As to the Democrats’ plan to send Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson packing, they’ve certainly got a lot of candidates with that in mind, including these who have announced their bid for U.S. Senate: State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, State Senator Chris Larson, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, Wausau physician Gillian Battino. Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes is also said to be considering entering the race. Johnson himself has not announced he is running for reelection, but he is a high-profile target of the left. To talk more about the 2022 campaign, we turn to party leaders. First we go to Milwaukee to speak with the vice-chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Felesia Martin. And thanks very much for being here.

Felesia Martin:

Thank you for having me. I’m glad to be here.

Frederica Freyberg:

So is Tony Evers ready for the fight given the number of Republicans lining up to run against him?

Felesia Martin:

Absolutely. Governor Evers is ready and has demonstrated that he is proven to be a good administrator for the state of Wisconsin. So, yes, he’s ready for the fight.

Frederica Freyberg:

So what are his and the party’s priorities, though they be blocked at most every turn by the GOP?

Felesia Martin:

What we plan to do is what our strategy has always been, is to amplify the message of Governor Evers and what he has accomplished considering we have considerable opposition in the state Legislature. So, what we will do is continue to connect with voters, help them to understand what is happening here on the ground and what is actually happening in our legislative branch. Who’s actually governing for them? Who’s at their back? And the answer all along has been Governor Evers.

Frederica Freyberg:

Well, Republicans say that Tony Evers, “has nothing to run on except a record of abysmal failure and absent leadership,” citing his response to the pandemic, among other things. What is your response to that criticism?

Felesia Martin:

We like to take that question. He has the best record in the nation of rolling out the vaccine across Wisconsin. We’ve come in at the top of making sure we get that vaccine into arms. So he’s in a good place to run on that. We have a strong DPI superintendent coming in. He has delivered on all of his promises, in which to fight on behalf of Wisconsinites across the board, across the board. And one thing we will hone in is that message of who is actually standing with the people and governing for the people. And we will roll out his record, and we’ll stand on that record against any Republican.

Frederica Freyberg:

What do you think the voters think about kind of the partisan blockade between Republicans and the governor? Is this resonant with voters or where do you think they’ll turn because of this partisan so-called blockade?

Felesia Martin:

Partisan politics has brought us all, as it appears, to a standstill. Be it here in the state of Wisconsin or across our country. And voters are really tired of it. They really want those who govern for them to understand we feel stuck, those of us in the middle, between the right and the left. Who is actually governing for the people and have our best interest at heart? So our message must connect on those issues that families, regardless if they’re on the right or the left, what are we looking to do? Who’s fighting for clean air, clean water? Who is fighting and pushing back against this pandemic and making certain that we are following public health guidelines and that we are having vaccines into arms to save our people and so that we can open up our economy back, which it is open now, and we have to continue to follow those public health guidelines. Who’s being responsible? Who’s being responsive to the governing bodies? Who’s being responsive to the most important in the equation, which are the Wisconsinites. And if we give a strong message and stay on task and say we’re the ones who rolled out unemployment, $300 for unemployment, for all of our workers. We’re the ones who encouraged the stimulus bills. We’re the ones who are delivering the American Rescue Plan that President Biden has rolled out and Governor Evers has done a tremendous job in helping to facilitate rolling that out across Wisconsin.

Frederica Freyberg:

As for sending Senator Ron Johnson packing, how big of a priority is this for the party?

Felesia Martin:

Our first priority is to reelect Governor Evers so that he can continue on a progressive trajectory for Wisconsin and put us — and continue to keep us on track for bouncing back. Secondly, sending Ron Johnson packing? That is a key priority. And let me tell you, folks on the ground are ready to do it.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. We need to leave it there. Thank you so much for joining us, Felesia Martin. Thank you.

Felesia Martin:

Thank you. Have a good day.