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BORN: Dec. 16, 1956, Milwaukee EDUCATION: Nathan Hale High School, diploma, 1975 FAMILY: Wife, Sandy; four children RELIGION: Christian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Printing-company owner POLITICAL CAREER: Republican nominee for U.S. House, 1994 ADDRESS: 9430 West Schlinger Avenue, West Allis 53214. Tel.: 414-258-4848
Reynolds is returning to take on incumbent Gerald Kleczka, bringing an ultraconservative agenda. He wants to keep schools from promoting what he calls the "homosexual agenda" and is against legalizing same-sex marriages, adoption by homosexual couples, and gays in the military. He is vehemently antiabortion, and wants to repeal President Clinton's Goals 2000 and eliminate the Department of Education and the irs. To win this time, Reynolds needs a sizable turnaround from the 1994 election, which he lost 45% to 55%.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense YES Abortion YES Guns NO Gays NR Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "I promise to defend the sanctity of all human life, whether a person is disabled, elderly or pre-born."
THOMAS BARRETT (D) District 5 (Northern Milwaukee, Milwaukee County suburbs; southeast Waukesha County)
BORN: Dec. 8, 1953, Milwaukee EDUCATION: U of Wisconsin, B.A., 1976, J.D., 1980 FAMILY: Wife, Kristine; two children RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer POLITICAL CAREER: Wisconsin Assembly, 1984-89, Senate, 1989-92; U.S. House, 1992- ADDRESS: 2711 North Avondale Boulevard, Milwaukee 53210. Tel.: 414-271-8050
This popular incumbent requested $871 million in the fiscal 1997 budget for President Clinton's Summer Youth Employment Program, and has supported a 1996 bill to extend the presidential line-item veto to include corporate tax exemptions. In this Democratic district that gave Bill Clinton a 26% margin in 1994, Barrett has a good chance of continuing his liberal program in the 105th Congress.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: [On the G.O.P.'s adding $12 billion to the Pentagon budget] "Somebody forgot to tell the Republican leadership that the cold war ended years ago."
PAUL MELOTIK (R) District 5
BORN: Feb. 27, 1957, Milwaukee EDUCATION: Carroll College, B.S., 1979 FAMILY: Wife, Wendy RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Restaurant owner; accountant POLITICAL CAREER: Sought Republican nomination for U.S. House, 1994 ADDRESS: 1247 North Water Street, Third Floor, Milwaukee 53202. Tel.: 414-271-6356
Besting his 1994 performance, Melotik won this year's nomination without having to run in a primary. A social conservative, he wants unwed teenage mothers to live with a parent or guardian and favors a constitutional amendment to require a three-fifths majority to approve tax increases. In this heavily Democratic district, he has the daunting task of defeating incumbent Thomas Barrett, who won 69% of the vote in 1994.
THE ISSUES