Clark County Republicans held their annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Loyal Legion Hall on Sunday, March 10. Rose Marie LaBarbera, chairperson, welcomed everyone in attendance. The invocation was given by vice-chair Tony Horvath. A member of the audience, who is 101, was recognized as the oldest Republican present.
The first speaker of the day was Stacey Klein. She is running for U.S. Senate. She said it was time to retire Tammy Baldwin and her leftist agenda. Klein said that counties will vote Republican for everything else and then vote for Tammy Baldwin. She described Baldwin as one of the most liberal Senators. She feels that if Baldwin really cared about removing drugs from our country, she would do more about the borders. Klein also doesn’t support the idea of a person losing their Second Amendment rights if convicted of a hate crime. She said she is an America First candidate. Klein feels that many Americans are hurting right now. She talked about having a focus on mental health, especially for youth, saying that lockdowns during COVID were a set-up for disaster.
Klein grew up on a dairy farm in Trempealeau County. She graduated from Carthage College. She described herself as a Christian, wife and mother. She served on a COVID Advisory Committee and Strategic Planning Committee for her local school district.
Klein said she wanted to get into the issues and not be a bumper sticker candidate. She is the only candidate to have held office, as she currently serves on the Trempealeau County Board. Klein feels that division is killing the Republican Party. She is a team player and willing to go where she can be of value. She believes that evil is destroying the American we know and love. She said, “We need to put on the armor of God and take back seats in the fall.”
You can check out more about her at staceyforwisconsin.com.
Karen Hurd currently serves the 68th Assembly District, but because of redistricting will be running for the 69th Assembly District this fall. Hurd talked about the new maps. She said in the past they looked at the least change possible. The 2020 maps displaced 50,000 people when they were redrawn. That went to the U.S. Supreme Court and the maps were declared unconstitutional because they messed with federal boundaries. With the State Supreme Court now having a liberal majority, a lawsuit was filed claiming the new maps were gerrymandered and unconstitutional. This time the Congressional districts were not touched so the U.S. Supreme Court will not take the case. There were six possible maps proposed. She said the Republicans agreed to the Governor’s maps because they were the least egregious and the Governor was willing to sign the legislation, which he did on February 19. Hurd said there are 3.8 million people displaced under these maps, people who no longer have an incumbent representative. Clark County is among them. Hurd now lives in the 91st District and would have had to run against incumbent Jodi Emerson. She said rural areas tend to be conservative, so she decided to move to the Town of Withee in Clark County. From her new residence, she will be able to represent her current district until the election, while running for the new 69th District at the same time. Hurd doesn’t believe she can win against Emerson and said, “I want to live among you.” Hurd said that Jimmy Boy Edming has decided to retire rather than run against another incumbent.
Hurd said she has learned that people across the aisle are ignorant or lie. Emerson said at a Chamber breakfast that it is terrible to have one daycare worker for seven infants. In fact, the law is one worker per four infants according to Hurd. Hurd said that Emerson claimed she was just exaggerating. Hurd supports a Parental Bill of Rights that would allow parents to participate in their child’s upbringing. According to Hurd, one representative, Dave Considine, said “we all know parents don’t know what’s best for our children.” She said the bill passed because of the Republican majority. She also talked about a refugee bill that would require that community leaders be informed when refugees are being sent to their area. She is sure Gov. Evers will veto the bill as it passed on party lines. According to Hurd, the federal government only pays to help refugees for 90 days. She said that 75 refugees are being brought to Eau Claire. When federal agencies came to answer questions, 21 refugees had already been settled there and no one knew.
Hurd feels that Republicans need to maintain their majority in the legislature. She also said that former attorney general Brad Schimel is planning on running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2025 and that will be the next big election. Hurd believes the court needs to be flipped as it affects legislative maps going forward. She encouraged everyone to vote conservative.
Tony Horvath is a candidate for county supervisor in the 17th District. He is also vice-chair of the Clark County Republican Party and has lived here about 10 years. He feels that the current supervisor, Chuck Rueth, doesn’t go to bat for the Bill of Rights. Horvath said rather than run for election in reaction after the damage is done, people need to run before things happen. He said the left doesn’t value marriage and traditional family. He quoted Plato, saying the “price of indifference is to be ruled by evil people.”
He feels it is time for him to step up and take a turn. Horvath said he is pro freedom, pro liberty, and pro Constitution. He really doesn’t like politics and his first passion is Christian ministry. This is the second time for him to run for this seat. Last time he lost by 19 votes. Horvath said he is a thoughtful, informed person and doesn’t “need government involved in the management of his family.”
Horvath asked those in attendance to think about who they might know that lives in the 17th District and to give them a call and ask them to vote for him. He said Rueth is related to 50 percent of the people in the district. Horvath believes Rueth is a nice guy, but he doesn’t support the right values. He also doesn’t reach out to his constituents enough.
Donna Rozar, who currently represents the 69th Assembly District and will until January, was present, in part, to say her goodbyes to Clark County. She said the new maps are not fair maps as touted by the Democrats. She said that some incumbents were removed from their district by a mere 150 feet. She now lives in the 86th District, which covers 54 percent of the people she has represented in the past. She plans on running for that seat. Rozar said it is critical to keep a Republican majority in the legislature and that everything is so politicized right now. She talked about reasonable taxation and efficient spending. Rozar feels that Gov. Evers is not willing to give money back because he will spend it if the legislature flips. Rozar said, “Thank you for your support. I know you will support Karen.”
Horvath then came back to discuss a new $1,000 scholarship that the Clark County Republican Party is offering to students 17-20 who are going on to school. Recipients would be required to participate in some events. He said it is a way to get young people into the “sphere of influence.” You can find out more about the scholarship through the Clark County Republican Party Facebook page or on their website at clarkwisgop.com.
