Citizen Action Weekend ’24 Newsletter, Friday August 23rd
Join Citizen Action Today!
VOLUNTEER to make phone calls from home for Citizen Action endorsed candidate, Yee Leng Xiong, next Tuesday, August 27th, 5pm.
This seat is a Wausau area Assembly District that was formerly gerrymandered Republican before redistricting. Yee Leng Xiong winning it in November is critical for Democrats to win a majority in the State Assembly.
We need your help to make that happen.
RSVP now!
Volunteer to make phone calls from home for Kamala Harris for President, next Thursday, September 5th, 4pm-7pm.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin announces State Legislative candidate endorsements for November Election, Round 2.
2024 is a generational opportunity for progressives to change the State Legislature in Wisconsin. Following new legislative maps, there will be more Democrats elected this November.
The key question is how many progressive Democrats will win their elections.
Citizen Action members can play a huge role in both. We need you to succeed in November!
Like all previously endorsed candidates, all of these endorsed candidates completed a Citizen Action 2024 candidate questionnaire, were interviewed by Citizen Action members from the regional organizing cooperative, and recommended for endorsement to our Board. All endorsements are then voted on and approved by the statewide Citizen Action of Wisconsin Board.
There will be more State Legislative candidate endorsements announced in September.
Please contact the organizer listed for each candidate to get active talking to voters in support of our endorsed candidates.
Assembly District 7: Karen Kirsch
As a long time progressive activist and healthcare organizer with Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Karen Kirsch is well prepared to be a state representative.
Karen is a true healthcare champion. Karen will fight to expand Badgercare healthcare coverage to more working people and small businesses in the state by supporting a BadgerCare Public Option. In addition, she wants paid family leave and expanding access to child care.
“We can’t build healthy communities if we don’t have healthy people. In Madison, I’ll fight for Badgercare Expansion, a BadgerCare Public Option, and Prescription Drug Reform because no one should have to worry about going bankrupt because they got sick.
In addition to fighting for healthcare for all, I’ll protect a woman’s right to choose and funding for our public schools.” – Karen Kirsch
Karen will also be a strong supporter of workers’ and their unions and will fight for better funding of our public schools, not unaccountable voucher schools.
Learn more about Karen Kirsch.
To get involved helping elect Karen Kirsch with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 13: Robyn Vining
State Representative Robyn Vining is a leader in the Assembly on healthcare. She is a co-sponsor of the BadgerCare Public Option bill that will greatly expand access to working people and small businesses. She also wrote legislation to cap prescription drug costs, and fought to improve access to mental health. Robyn supports legislation to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce health outcome disparities for women and babies of color.
Robyn will continue her fight to adequately fund our public schools, not private voucher schools. She will work to restore the Wisconsin Idea of providing high quality education to all of our citizens.
Most importantly, Robyn works collaboratively with Citizen Action to accomplish her goals.
Learn more about Robyn Vining.
To get involved helping elect Robin Vining with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 14: Angelito Tenorio
Angelito Tenorio has a political and organizing background, Angelito is a former West Allis Alderperson. Angelito will prioritize combating climate change, investing in our public schools, increasing affordable housing, expanding healthcare coverage and lowering costs, while supporting good-paying union jobs.
Angelito’s experience as an alderperson in West Allis prepares him well for the state assembly. While an alder, Angelio concluded Wisconsin needs a more progressive tax system to adequately fund our priorities and local government. He saw firsthand the problem of having underfunded city services.
“Together, we can advocate for good-paying union jobs and expand access to healthcare, mental health resources, and childcare. I will support affordable housing initiatives. I believe in investing in our kids, teachers, and public schools. I will prioritize combating climate change and protecting our environment. I will fight for workers, social justice, reproductive rights, civil rights, racial equity, and LGBTQIA+ rights.” – Angelito Tenorio
Learn more about Angelito Tenorio.
To get involved helping elect Angelito Tenorio with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 61: LuAnn Bird
This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to Democratic.
LuAnn Bird is the former Executive Director for the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. She is currently a school board member for the Whitnall School District and lives in Hales Corners where she is a caregiver for her husband.
LuAnn will be a leader in the Assembly fighting for proper funding for public schools in the next state budget so school districts are forced to go to local referendums to fund basic school services. She also wants to see an end to the private voucher program that is taking money away from public schools.
LuAnn backs a BadgerCare Public Option to ensure more working people and small businesses have access to comprehensive and affordable healthcare coverage.
LuAnn supports making voting easier, not harder. She also supports implementing a permanent way to draw fair maps.
Learn more about LuAnn Bird.
To get involved helping elect LuAnn Bird with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 62: Angelina Cruz
Angelina Cruz is a 20 year educator in the Racine Public School District and is the current president of the Racine Educators Association (REA). Angelina’s focus will be on properly funding public schools in the state and starting to make up for over a decade of the state failing to find our schools at the rate of inflation and therefore causing reduced investment in our children’s future. Changing the public school funding formula is one of her key policy priorities.
Angelia will be a strong supporter of labor rights as the key to improving our economy and the well being of workers and their families.
Angelia will work closely with Citizen Action and its members on expanding access to BadgerCare health coverage to more people and fighting climate change in a way that produces the most good paying, union green jobs for our communities.
Learn more about Angelina Cruz.
To get involved helping elect Angelina Cruz with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 66: Greta Neubauer
State Representative Greta Neubauer has demonstrated clear leadership abilities as the current Minority Leader for the Assembly Democrats.
Greta has committed to working with Democrats across the state to ensure that they have the majority in the next State Legislature so we can start to pass progressive legislation in the 2025-26 session. Greta helped recruit over 120 Democratic State Assembly candidates who are running in 97 of the 99 districts!
Greta will work closely with Citizen Action and our members to pass key pieces of legislation, including fully funding public schools, a BadgerCare Public Option, and addressing climate change and creating good, union green jobs.
Learn more about Greta Neubauer.
To get involved helping elect Greta Neubauer with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 86: John Small
John Small supports the Citizen Action platform, and committed to fostering a co-governing relationship with Citizen Action members. John has a long history of working in local government, which gives him an edge in terms of the relationships that he has in the rural communities in his district.
John supports accepting the federal money to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin and the BadgerCare Public Option which would provide comprehensive affordable healthcare coverage to small businesses and working people.
John supports our Climate Action plan which will commit Wisconsin to meet a 40% reduction in carbon by 2030, with the goal of creating good, union green jobs. He has a track record of advocating for clean water at the local level. John also supports criminal justice reform that seeks to lower the state’s high incarceration rates, which is double Minnesota’s.
Learn more about John Small.
To get involved helping elect John Small with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Assembly District 91: Jodi Emerson
State Representative Jodi Emerson has served the Eau Claire community in the State Assembly since 2019, and has been a consistent member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
Jodi has worked closely with Citizen Action on a variety of issues, including co-sponsoring the BadgerCare Public Option Bill. Jodi will continue to prioritize making child care more affordable and addressing the housing crisis facing many Wisconsin communities, including Eau Claire.
Jodi is a hard-working candidate, with a strong campaign team and is ready to win re-election.
Learn more about Jodi Emerson.
To get involved helping elect Jodi Emerson with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]
Citizen Action North Central Co-op Member Spotlight, Jay Coldwell.
The Citizen Action of WI North Central Organizing Co-op would like to highlight founding member and action team leader, Jay Coldwell. He started contributing to Citizen Action several years ago:
“I have always loved the cooperative model, and was on the board of Employers Insurance Credit Union, years ago. So when a local political action cooperative was announced, I was eager to join. Citizen Action gives us an opportunity to advocate for progressive issues through a local organizing cooperative.” – Jay Coldwell
He has been active with Citizen Action mostly on issues related to climate change (he testified in support of Medicaid Expansion and the BadgerCare Public Option at the JFC hearings as well). He is a member of Wausau’s Sustainability, Energy and Environment Committee (which drafted the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Resolution), and with the help of Citizen Action members, was passed by the Common Council in 2023. Jay is a founding member of the NC Co-ops Climate Action Team.
The city is now close to receiving funding to develop a Climate Action Plan, thanks to the work of this citizen-led committee and City staff. Jay was a member of the Solar Array Task Force, which recommended an array design that will reduce the electricity cost for the Drinking Water Treatment Plant by about 2/3.
Jay says, “If you are a City of Wausau resident, please advocate to your city Alder to proceed with this project! It will not only save millions of dollars in electricity, it will also reduce city carbon emissions by thousands of tons over its lifetime.”
If you support this, please sign our petition here!
Join us for Citizen Action’s Statewide Healthcare Action Team Meeting, Wednesday, August 28th, 7pm
Citizen Action North Side Rising’s Keviea Guiden presents at Healthy Climate Teach In in Milwaukee Thursday evening.
Citizen Action Attends Racine Climate Teach-in
Citizen Action staff and members met on Saturday in Racine to organize to fight against a proposed gas plants in Oak Creek and near Kenosha. At the Racine No New Gas Teach-In, over 25 passionate community members came together to take a stand against new gas projects in Wisconsin.
Attendees committed to reaching out to 125+ people to sign the No New Gas petition and grow the movement for clean energy and a healthier future. Together, we’re building the momentum needed to protect our environment and push for real change.
Sign the petition to add your voice and demand greener, cleaner, and cheaper energy solutions for Wisconsin’s future.
RSVP for free screening of “Bad River” in Wausau, Thursday, August 29th
350 Wisconsin, AIM Wisconsin, CCL Rib Mountain-Marshfield Chapter, and Citizen Action of Wisconsin North Central Coop (Climate Action Team) will be co-sponsoring a FREE screening of Bad River at Whitewater Music Hall in Wausau on the evening of Thursday, August 29th.
All are welcome! Space is limited, so please RSVP here!
This powerful documentary, chronicling the Bad River Band’s monumental effort to save Lake Superior – the newest chapter in a 100+ year old story of resistance to environmental, industrial and governmental threats to their reservation, and their culture and belonging – is a MUST SEE!
This event is a designated sober space.
Date: Thursday, August 29th
Time: 6:00pm welcoming — 6:30pm screening
Location: Whitewater Music Hall, 130 1st St., Wausau
Join us this Saturday, August 24th, 10am, to maximize your home’s potential by leveraging IRA benefits.
Join the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County in partnership with Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Green Homeowners United for “Maximize Your Home’s Potential: Leveraging IRA Benefits for a Greener Wisconsin.” This event will help homeowners take full advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to save money and fight climate change. Learn how to access up to $10,000 in rebates for home upgrades, including insulation, efficient heating systems, electric appliances, solar panels, and more.
Date: Saturday, August 24th
Time: 10 AM-Noon
Location: League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County (6737 W Washington St, West Allis) Please register by August 21st to secure your spot. Lunch will be provided!
Volunteer to make calls from home for Ryan Spaude, Assembly District 89, on Tuesday, September 3rd, 5pm – 8pm
Volunteer to make calls from home for Vinnie Miresse, on Tuesday, September 10th, 5pm – 8pm
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Earl Ingram Show, which is broadcasting this week from the Democratic National Convention, to discuss whether the burst of Democratic enthusiasm will impact the election.
The Earl Ingram Show airs on the growing Civic Media radio network from 8 AM to 10 AM weekdays. Robert is the regular guest every Wednesday 9 AM to 10 AM. Civic Media now has radio stations in every media market where Citizen Action has an organizing co-op. You can also subscribe to the Earl Ingram show on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other podcast platforms, and listen on Alexa and on TuneIn. For a video of the program you can watch on YouTube.
Listen to “State Legislative Wave?” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
Citizen Action unveils more state legislative candidate endorsements and welcomes two of the newly endorsed candidates to the show, State Representative Jodi Emerson, who is running for reelection in a new more competitive district in the Chippewa Valley and Karen Kirsch who is running in Assembly District 7, a suburban Milwaukee district. We encourage our listeners to volunteer for a statewide phone bank for Yee Leng Xiong,next Tuesday, 8/27 at 5pm.
We rip this week’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s coverage of the appointment of a new CEO of a merged Froedtert ThedaCare Health and his un-fact checked claims that the merger will reduce costs.
We comment on Tony Evers’ “jazzed as hell”’ DNC roll call speech, Trump outspending Harris on TV in swing states, and why Democrats are worlds apart from the GOP on addressing climate change.
Listen to the show.
RSVP to volunteer for a statewide phone bank for Yee Leng Xiong,next Tuesday, 8/27 at 5pm.
Social media post of the week
