Three candidates—Julia Arata-Fratta, Tony Hartmann, and Jimmy Anderson running to fill an open seat in Dane County's progressive 47th assembly district—lead the Fall 2016 Wisconsin Partisan Primary, now held in summer after legislative Republicans engineered election changes, (Wisconsin Legislative Council).
The 47th assembly district comprises neighborhoods on Madison's east side and a Democratic-progressive mix of several small municipalities in Dane County.
The August 9 Democratic primary winner will succeed outgoing State Rep. Robb Kahl (D-Monona).
The three candidacies—Tony Hartmann, Jimmy Anderson, Julia Arata-Fratta—feature in a wide-open race as perceptions of the strongest opponent to Republican governor Scott Walker will likely decide the winner, (pp. 29-30, Wisconsin Elections Commission).
The winner of the Democratic Party primary will face no Republican opposition in November
Julia Arata-Fratta is a long-time public critic of Scott Walker, and along with Tony Hartmann, signed the 2011-12 Recall Scott Walker petition. In Dane County this visible support of a progressive agenda against Walker is political ambrosia. Jimmy Anderson did not sign the Recall-Scott Walker petition.
Two of the candidates—Arata-Fratta and Hartmann—have proven track records, and long histories of community involvement. One candidate, Anderson, does not.
Both Arata-Fratta and Hartmann serve as city of Fitchburg alders, and have long advocated for public education and the environment against the hostile Walker administration and its donors (DeFour, Wisconsin State Journal).
Analysis of District 47 Assembly Race
Anderson Not Qualified for State Assembly
Jimmy Anderson has a compelling life story and would make an effective candidate for municipal or county office in the future.
A compelling life story is not sufficient to merit an endorsement from this site.
Anderson has scant public policy experience, no history of effective progressive advocacy, and has never held elected office in Wisconsin. But he does have $10,000, $50,000, $25,000, $2,000, and $500 donations to his Wisconsin assembly primary campaign.
Who wants this guy in office? Jimmy Anderson does, and the above donations are Anderson's personal loans to his campaign comprising over $87,000, according to Anderson's Campaign Finance Report (July Continuing - covering all activity from Jan. 1, 2016-June 30, 2016).
A newcomer to district 47, Anderson moved into the district from the neighboring assembly district, the result of an apparent assembly seat-shopping excursion.
Anderson was reportedly urged by local activists to wait or get experience before running for assembly district 47. Anderson ignored the advice and instead loaned his campaign the large infusions in an effort to win the seat this August 9.
Anderson has missed numerous important votes as a citizen, including statewide Supreme Court races and a statewide race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, according to data obtained from the Wisconsin Elections Commission site, comparing Anderson's voting activity, (BD - 08-26-1986), with elections held the past four years.
Jimmy Anderson's candidacy appears more for the benefit of Anderson, and less for the residents of the 47th assembly district.
This is not to question Anderson's ethics or decency, rather to state public service is for the benefit of the public and not for the prospective public servant.
It would be an insult for an assembly candidate to parachute into a district, attempt to buy the seat, and criticize the outgoing state representative in campaign literature while the candidate expects to gain the loyalty of would-be constituents for whom their local state representative is the most intimate connection to state government.
This is precisely what Jimmy Anderson is attempting to pull off. Such an effort should be discouraged.
Tony Hartmann Qualified Now to Serve
Tony Hartmann is qualified now to serve as a state rep. for Assembly District 47.
Born in Dane County, a longtime resident of the district, current Fitchburg alder, small business owner and MATC instructor, Hartmann would hit the ground running in the Capitol. He handles difficult policy and politics questions with apparent ease and obvious candor.
Residents may have noticed Hartmann fairly haunting doors this spring and summer, as Hartmann invites and fields an array of policy questions.
Brilliant, decent and hardworking, Hartmann would make an excellent state rep. against a sociopathic and doctrinaire Republican Party of Wisconsin.
Julia Arata-Fratta Qualified Now to Serve
"Outraged" at Scott Walker, reads Julia Arata-Fratta's latest campaign literature, repeating a central theme of her candidacy supporting the UW System, public education and a restoration of funding for technical colleges.
Julia Arata-Fratta is an outstanding candidate and is qualified now to serve as a state rep. for Assembly District 47.
Arata-Fratta moved to Fitchburg over 12 years ago and this policy wonk would be Wisconsin's second Latino serving in the state assembly, (Julia for Assembly), (Madison.365).
Nearly every Fitchburg resident contacted has either met or heard of the rising star who, if elected, has the policy acumen, intellect and dynamic personality to become a U.S. senator in the next 10 years.
As Arata-Fratta's campaign biography indicates, it's difficult to find a sector of society that this proud mother, successful professional service woman and Fitchburg alder is not involved.
Whether District 47 voters elect Tony Hartmann or Julia Arata-Fratta, the future of this progressive, growing, and hyper-educated district looks bright.
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