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When Obey was elected in 1969, he became the first Democrat to represent the Seventh District. He is now the ranking Democrat on the powerful Appropriations Committee. Still an outspoken liberal, he supported a single-payer healthcare system and is skeptical of balancing the budget on a fixed schedule. But if he wants to keep his seat, he'll have to beat Scott West, who gave Obey a scare in 1994.
THE ISSUES Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion YES Guns NO Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Capitalism works through market forces, and those market forces cannot be repealed. But democracy is not just of, by and for the markets. It is designed to be of, by and for the people."
SCOTT WEST (R) District 7
BORN: July 31, 1962, Wisconsin Rapids EDUCATION: U of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, B.A., 1984 FAMILY: Single RELIGION: Lutheran MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: University official POLITICAL CAREER: Portage County Republican Party chair, 1986-94; Republican nominee for U.S. House, 1994 ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1000, Stevens Point 54481. Tel.: 715-345-9696
West, an admissions counselor at the University of Wisconsin for the past 12 years, is running a rematch of his 1994 bid against incumbent David Obey. He's proposing vast government reforms, including audits of all government departments, limiting congressional perks and passing term limits. His opponent has been a political institution here since 1969, but West has found some chinks in his armor--he won 46% of the vote in 1994, the highest of any of Obey's challengers.
THE ISSUES Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "The only thing I have in common with Newt Gingrich is my haircut."
JAY JOHNSON (D) District 8 (Northeast--Green Bay; Appleton)
BORN: Sept. 30, 1943, Bessemer, Mich. EDUCATION: Gogebic Community College, A.A., 1963; Northern Michigan U, B.A., 1965; Michigan State U, M.A., 1970 FAMILY: Wife, JoLee; two children RELIGION: Presbyterian MILITARY: Army, 1966-68 OCCUPATION: Broadcast journalist POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: 417 Pine Street, Green Bay 54301. Tel.: 414-430-9776
Johnson, a familiar face in the district where he's a longtime TV news anchor, won the Democratic primary in bittersweet fashion: on the morning of his victory, his mother died of cancer. Education is the key issue of his campaign, and he says schools should provide all children with the "right to try." Johnson will need all his name recognition in this predominantly Republican district.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion NO Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare NR Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Just imagine if...we had [as] 'great debates' on the future of our schools and colleges and technical-training policies as we did on the future of our defense systems and foreign policies."