WISCONSIN'S SPRING ELECTIONS: April 7

Here is the slate of candidates endorsed by Progressive Majority for the April 7, 2009 Spring elections in Wisconsin:

Kathleen Falk
Candidate for Dane County Executive (Incumbent)



Kathleen Falk is currently serving as Dane County Executive. Kathleen is the first woman ever to hold this position and has emerged as a leader in the progressive community. During her time as County Executive, Kathleen has been an innovative leader in drug treatment in lieu of incarceration, on land use and planning, and on environmental issues. Kathleen has worked hand in hand with Progressive Majority in the recruitment of and assistance in developing other women candidates to run for office. This election, Kathleen faces a tough challenge from a conservative woman. Dane County over the past four years is trending more conservative, making this race a critical protect. She is mounting an aggressive campaign. Kathleen is a top protect this cycle in order to hold this progressive seat.

Click here to support and learn more about Kathleen.

Mark Harris
Candidate for Winnebago County Executive (Incumbent)



Farm team member Mark Harris was first elected in 2005 and defeated a conservative incumbent. Winnebago County is traditionally a conservative portion of the state and his victory was a major power shift for Progressive Majority and our partners. In the past four years, Mark has reduced the county unemployment rate to the lowest in more than 15 years, maintained all county services despite huge budget cuts, and helped to ensure that a new county nursing facility was built. Mark has opposition this cycle and it is important that we support him in his campaign. He will run an aggressive voter contact program. Mark has aspirations of running for higher office in the next several years, so he is a critical protect for progressives.

Dorothy Lenard
Candidate for La Crosse Mayor (Challenger)



Dorothy Lenard has been a Progressive Majority farm team member for almost 4 years and was one of the first candidates we helped elect to the La Crosse City Council. Dorothy has served one term on the City Council and is challenging Mark Johnsrud, the current conservative mayor. Johnsrud has drawn much opposition, and Dorothy will have to run a strong race to emerge victorious in a seven-way primary. Dorothy is a professor at Viterbo University and is well respected throughout La Crosse as being pragmatic and a consensus builder. We met several times with Dorothy as she started assembling her campaign in October and November.

Katie Simenson
Candidate for Burlington City Council (Incumbent)

Katie Simenson was first recruited into our farm team in 2007 when she first ran for Burlington City Council. Katie ran unopposed in her first election and has since been known as a pragmatic, thoughtful leader on the Burlington City Council. Katie has also worked to help other women who are interested in running for local office and is currently participating in the Emerge Wisconsin training program. Katie faces a primary election and is campaigning hard to win her first re-election.

Eric Rosenquist
Candidate for Eau Claire Council - District 5 (Challenger)



Eric is a former Wisconsin Citizen Action organizer and current environmental activist in the Chippewa Falls region. He is working with a coalition to keep a waste facility from being built on pristine farm land. Eric is running in a primary to unseat a conservative member of Eau Claire's City Council. Eric's win would lead to a progressive city council. Two other candidates Progressive Majority has been working with are unopposed in their races, so we know we will have a progressive council president and another progressive voice on the city council. Eric has been knocking on doors for more than a month. With Eric's experience on other campaigns, we know that he will run an aggressive campaign.

Shawn Pfaff
Candidate for Fitchburg City Council - District 4 (Open Seat)

Shawn Pfaff has been a leader in Democratic politics for more than a decade, and was recruited to run for this office in order to add a progressive member to this predominantly conservative council. Progressive Majority first started working in Fitchburg two years ago when we endorsed a farm team member for mayor. That candidate lost his race, but we started working on building a base of progressive leaders who have since attended our trainings and road shows. Shawn is currently a consultant providing strategic political advice to a variety of clients. He is committed to working hard to win this race.

Click here to support and learn more about Shawn.

Jessica King
Candidate for Oshkosh City Council - At Large (Incumbent)



Jessica King has been a farm team member since 2005, when we started preparing her for her 2007 Oshkosh City Council run. In 2007, she won her first election and we immediately started working with her on a bid for the Wisconsin Senate. This past November, Jessica lost her senate race by 0.5%, a mere 160 vote margin. This spring Jessica faces her first re-election, where there will be a contested primary. Jessica is a key seat of the progressive majority we created in 2007 and we need to ensure that she stays on the Oshkosh City Council. Jessica is a local attorney who works with clients facing bankruptcy and is involved in many community organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.

Tia Johnson
Candidate for Beloit School Board (Challenger)



Tia Johnson was recruited to run for the school board by community members, parents and teachers in the Beloit School District because of her pragmatic approach to problem solving. Tia has children who attend Beloit Public schools, but also has an interesting perspective as she has served as a substitute teacher for several years. Tia is a Beloit College graduate and has lived in the district for more than 20 years. Tia faces a crowded field as she is one of six candidates vying for three seats on the Beloit School Board. Progressive Majority will help her develop a targeted voter program and help hone her message. Tia is running on a common sense platform of representing the entire district by opening up lines of communication, addressing the budget situation in a creative and fair way, and bringing the community's voice back to the educational process.

Carl Bryan
Candidate for Kenosha School Board - At Large (Challenger)



Progressive Majority first started working with Carl Bryan in 2007 after recruiting him into our farm team at a Camp Wellstone training. Carl has worked closely with our Kenosha task force, has built relationships with the Kenosha Education Association. He knocks on doors daily and is fundraising to get his message out through the mail. Carl has a great understanding of the issues facing the Kenosha School Board and, as a recent graduate brings a fresh and much needed perspective to the Board. Progressive Majority will work with Carl on his fundraising and voter contact plans as well as advise him on his message.

Mary Snyder
Candidate for Kenosha School Board (Challenger)

Mary Snyder was brought to Progressive Majority's attention by our partners at the Kenosha Education Association of which she is a retired member. Mary is a first time candidate who is supported by the teacher in Kenosha as well as the many families that she has served throughout her career. In this election Mary is challenging members of the board who have made poor decisions affecting the school district's financial well-being and is campaigning on a reform message. Progressive Majority will assist her in developing a campaign plan, connect her with our Kenosha Task Force for support, and will work with her on message and debate prep. Mary represents the possibility of eliminating a key adversary to the teacher's union and an opportunity to have a former union member serving on the Kenosha School Board.

Pamela Stevens
Candidate for Kenosha School Board - At Large (Incumbent)

One of our parnters on our Kenosha task force brought Pamela Stevens to our attention as an elected official with a great future. Pamela is currently serving as the President of the Kenosha School Board and has been supported in previous years by parents throughout the district and the KEA. Prior to serving on the Kenosha School Board Pamela was a very active parent and community member. She served on the PTA and was the recipient of the district's ''Parent in Education Award'' for her service to the schools. Currently she faces opposition from local conservatives. She is a key ally of the KEA and parents and is currently the only person of color serving on the school board. Progressive Majority will work with her to develop a clear message, to assist with debate prep, and to develop her voter contact plan. Pamela made it safely through the February 17th primary but still has a long way to go if she is going to retain her seat and her position as Board President. We are working with Pamela in order to make sure she is reelected to first keep the majority, and second, to put her in the pipeline for higher office.

Kim Plache
Candidate for Racine School Board - Kim Plache (Challenger)

Kim Plache is a well-know community leader in Racine as she is the former state senator turned community activist. Since leaving the state legislature in 2002, Kim has maintained a high profile by serving on community boards and working to help support local candidates. Kim is currently a Steering Committee Member for the Women's Progressive Network of Racine, where was part of a group that helped recruit 11 candidates to run for office in 2008. Kim represents the key seat to flip the Racine School Board to a progressive majority, as we added three candidates in 2008. Kim will have the ability to drawn on a large base of supporters from her years of public service and will add a strong progressive voice to the Racine School Board.

Gretchen Warner
Candidate for Racine School Board (Incumbent)



Gretchen Warner's is one of two seats on the Racine School Board on which Progressive Majority is focusing attention this cycle. Gretchen and her husband are both political activists in Racine County; he ran for County Board this past spring and she is active in the Women's Progressive Network of Racine. Gretchen has a Masters Degree in teaching and specializes in Montessori programs. Gretchen has been serving on the board for the past two years and protecting her is key to flipping the Racine School Board to a progressive majority. In spring of 2008, we added 3 new board members, and this cycle we could add a fourth. There are five candidates running, forcing a primary in February and general election on April 7.