Editor’s note: The Banner gave the candidates for State Assembly in District 33 an opportunity to provide a final statement before Tuesday’s primary election. As a result of redistricting, Whitewater has been split into two Assembly districts. Jefferson County residents are now in District 33. There are two Republican candidates and one Democratic candidate on the primary ballot. The candidates are listed below in alphabetical order by surname.
Update 8/6/22 @ 1:50 p.m.: The Banner has added the response of Dale W. Oppermann. Though this was received after our deadline, this was through no fault of his, as we had not located his contact information until after the original article was posted.
Scott L. Johnson, Republican Candidate for State Assembly District 33
Age: 68
Address: N3043 Haas Road, Jefferson, WI 53549
Educational Background:
1972 Milton High School
1977 UW Madison BS Agricultural Economics
Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program
Completed half of my masters credits at UW Whitewater in school business finance
Employment history:
I have worked for Monsanto and Ralston Purina.
I am a farmer and a farm consultant.
I am a substitute school bus driver for more than 20 years serving Jefferson School District
Political experience: I served on the Fort Atkinson Board of Education for 15 years
I have been well received out campaigning; here is a list of things people seem to be agreeable with.
People are tired of the lack of leadership and nothing getting done; one is elected to govern.
The people are not impressed with the Republican Party funding my opponent’s campaign in an open primary.
The people want to be represented, they want fair maps and they want term limits.
The people do not want career politicians, nor do they like the dark money that the parties receive that can be spent wherever.
The people want their tax dollars spent wisely and for the government to stay out of their personal life.
The people want the roads fixed and maintained and to collect the tax equitably from all users. Also do not spend the funds for non-road projects.
They want the school funding to be appropriate and transparent with all schools, public or private held accountable.
They want us to upgrade our workforce by utilizing our technical schools to train and equip our citizens for the high skill, high pay jobs. The people want the infrastructure built and maintained by a qualified workforce.
They do not want us to forgive student loans.
The people want their broadband to work and at a reasonable cost.
People want affordable healthcare; $50,000 a year for a family of four does not seem affordable.
I believe our elections are run very honestly with a high degree of integrity, but there are areas that can be improved.
I believe we should stop demonizing our clerks and election workers for fraudulent actions that cannot be validated in a court of law.
We can improve our elections by allowing every citizen of sound mind the opportunity to vote once.
One person, one vote, early, absentee, or in person. Our clerks should be able to count the early votes just prior to election day so a timely vote count outcome can be made, thus avoiding the perceived delays of just found ballots.
Why I am the best Republican for the job?
I am willing to represent the people. I want to listen to the local governing boards to learn of the challenges they face in carrying out their duties. How and where can our State help them succeed?
I have demonstrated that I am a principled visionary leader during my many years of service on the Fort Atkinson School Board. As a public servant, I govern for the benefit of everyone. I have not spent our tax dollars unwisely nor will I burden the taxpayer with unnecessary expenses. I am a fiscal conservative and believe tax dollars should be spent where the public is served the best.
I am a farmer. I believe that the practical, logical, common sense solutions should be used in governing.
Governing definitely requires a sense of compromise. Local governing boards have to make choices to balance their budgets each year. It is not uncommon for a member to concede their perspective on an issue to allow the board to move forward and take action. Mandates unfunded or underfunded should not exist as they create budget issues for local governing boards.
I will represent the people first and foremost. I will be available to hear your concerns, questions, and opinions. I want to take ACTION on what you have told me. My opponent will be beholden to the party that chose him.
*I believe that school funding should be accountable for all stakeholders including the taxpayer.
*I believe that we need to further incentivize our technical schools to benefit both employers and workers. These skilled jobs should support families and reduce the need for student loans.
*I believe that maintenance of our roads is required to transport our commerce, workforce and to promote tourism. The fuel tax may need to be reformatted to adequately support our roads and replace the regressive taxes like titling fees, registration fees and wheel taxes.
*I believe in promoting clean energy, air and water. My experience when establishing Geo-Thermal in the Fort Atkinson School District proved to be economical in heating and cooling costs. Agriculture, municipalities and businesses all play a role in clean energy and water, each has a responsibility to manage the waste or by products of their operations.
My knowledge and experience of Education and Agriculture, which are two of Wisconsin’s largest expenses and economic engines is crucial for a legislator. Thank you.
Dale W. Oppermann, Republican Candidate for State Assembly District 33
Editor’s note: Unfortunately Mr. Oppermann was unable to submit a timely response to our request for comments before we published our original article, as we had not located his contact information. For that reason we are posting this response that was received after our deadline.
I am 63 years old and I’ve been married for 41 years to Karleen, a teacher. We have three grown children and three grandchildren. I’ve served six terms on the Jefferson City Council and I presently serve as the Mayor of Jefferson, having been elected seven times since 2010. In that capacity, I have worked with both Republicans and Democrats in Madison and Washington D.C. to help bring prosperity to our community.
I also hold a full-time job as a sales representative for Milwaukee Plate Glass Company in West Allis.
I am a pro-life Republican.
I believe in upholding the 2nd Amendment.
I believe that parents should have a say in what’s being taught to their children and I think every child deserves to be able to attend a school that best meets their individual needs.
I believe that government should keep our communities safe by adequately funding and supporting law enforcement officials. That also applies to fire and emergency medical services.
I believe that criminals should be held accountable for their actions.
I believe that our government should work with the private sector to help them provide good, family-supporting jobs. We’ve done that in Jefferson, as evidenced by the recent announcement of the expansion at Nestle Purina which will add another 75 jobs.
I believe that government should not penalize honest, hardworking people who pay their own financial obligations themselves by offering to pay off the debts of those who don’t.
The city of Jefferson has grown and thrived during my time as mayor. We have addressed the need for additional housing by creating new subdivisions and working with developers to create new single and multi-family housing opportunities in Jefferson. We’ve fixed and improved many streets.
I am proud to have earned the trust of many residents of the 33rd Assembly District who have supported my campaign by putting up yard signs and offering monetary contributions. My campaign has been very transparent about who is supporting me, unlike that of my primary opponent. I am running for the 33rd Assembly seat because I would like to serve all the people of this area. I have no hidden agenda, no false claims and I am not running for the position because I need a job. I believe that I am the best Republican for this job because not only do I hold and demonstrate true core Republican values, but because I can and will defeat Democrat Don Vruwink on November 8th.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my views. Please vote on August 9th.
Don Vruwink, Democratic Candidate for State Assembly District 33
Since no response has been received this week from Mr. Vruwink, we are republishing the announcement that he provided to us in April.
State Representative Don Vruwink (D-Milton), issued the following statement regarding the recent redistricting decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court:
“While I am disheartened by the recent redistricting decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court and Wisconsin Supreme Court, I recognize the courts have made their rulings and it is time for us all to move forward because there is so much work to do after the November elections and beyond. Representing voters in the 43rd Assembly District has been a great honor, and I have enjoyed getting to know so many hard-working, thoughtful, and community-minded people on both sides of the aisle over the past six years.”
“With the recent Supreme Court decision, my hometown of Milton is now in the 33rd Assembly District, and after taking some time for personal reflection, having conversations with my wife Beth, and hearing from so many people in the new parts of this district encouraging me to seek a term in a new district, I have decided to seek another term in the Assembly.”
“Serving my community and being a champion for constituents is a pleasure and privilege. From teaching students and serving on the school board, to coaching high school athletes and serving in the State Assembly, I bring a unique passion and perspective to the State Capitol that puts people and our community first. I am very excited to launch my campaign to be the next State Representative from the 33rd Assembly District, and I look forward to introducing myself to voters, hearing what matters most to them, and earning their trust as I seek another term.”
Representative Vruwink currently sits on the Committee on Agriculture, Committee on Education, Committee on Tourism, and is the Ranking Member on the Committee on Rural Development. In addition to serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Representative Vruwink gives back to the community as a substitute teacher and umpire for recreational baseball and softball. Prior to being elected to the State Assembly in 2016, Representative Vruwink taught History at Milton High School and coached basketball, football and softball. He has also served on the Milton City Council and Milton School Board.
The 33rd District will be representing the Jefferson County portion of Whitewater, as well as Milton, Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Palmyra, N. Janesville, Harmony Twp.
