Tell Us What You’d Like to Hear from Candidates in 2022

(Graphic by Morgaine Ford-Workman)

By Pat Kreitlow

January 18, 2022

Tired of vague promises? Help us ask them the right questions, so we can make sure they address the things that matter to you, instead of speaking in platitudes or engaging in negative attacks.

There are several significant elections being held later this year—and while Nov. 8 is still many months away, we would like your help in planning our coverage to ensure it has value to you.

The recent announcement by Sen. Ron Johnson that he’s running for a third term, despite a 2016 pledge that he would not, underscores the importance of every election—not just the presidential races. The ballot this fall asks who gets your vote for that Senate seat as well as governor, control of the state Legislature, and other offices.

We’re going to create a coverage agenda at UpNorthNews because you have concerns that are affected by the decisions made by our elected officials—and we believe candidates for office should be judged by what they say and do about those things that can help or harm your quality of life, not just their attack ads and fundraising prowess.

This Wisconsin Agenda from UpNorthNews is going to be formed in a two-part process. This first part begins with a simple question at the foundation of American elections:

What do you want the candidates to be talking about as they compete for votes?

There are countless “issues” that any politician can talk about, but instead of a predetermined list, we want to begin with something open-ended with nobody else’s wording or priorities but yours. Later, we will look at honing those ideas into a Wisconsin Agenda that allows you to judge whether candidates appear to share your concerns.

Once we see if a candidate shares your priorities, we can then look at the merits of any specific promises or proposals. Over the years, polling by the Marquette Law School has shown that, despite consistent bipartisan support for some ideas, powerful politicians have dismissed overwhelming public sentiment in favor of party orthodoxy. Coverage through our Wisconsin Agenda is designed to eventually make clear which people on the ballot have priorities and positions that are in or out of the Wisconsin mainstream and why that might be the case.

Here’s Where You Come In

We’ve created an easy online form that allows you to tell us what you’d want to hear a candidate talk about if one came to your door seeking your vote. You can leave a name and hometown or you can remain anonymous. Are you ready? Here’s the form. And thank you.

Author

Pat Kreitlow

The Founding Editor of UpNorthNews, Pat was a familiar presence on radio and TV stations in western Wisconsin before serving in the state Legislature. After a brief stint living in the Caribbean, Pat and wife returned to Chippewa Falls to be closer to their growing group of grandchildren. He now serves as UNN's chief political correspondent and host of UpNorthNews Radio, airing weekday mornings 6 a.m.-8 a.m on the Civic Media radio network and the UpNorthNews Facebook page.

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