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DAVID PROSSER (R) District 8 BORN: Dec. 24, 1942, Chicago EDUCATION: DePauw U, B.A., 1965; U of Wisconsin, J.D., 1968 FAMILY: Single RELIGION: Presbyterian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer; congressional aide; speechwriter; professor POLITICAL CAREER: Outagamie County district attorney, 1977-79; Wisconsin Assembly, 1979- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 476, Appleton 54912. Tel.: 414-993-1996
Prosser enters this race with several key advantages over opponent Jay Johnson. The Eighth District is strongly Republican: it sent retiring Congressman Toby Roth to Washington eight times and voted for George Bush in the past two presidential elections. Prosser, a long-time Wisconsin politician, is a high-profile crime fighter who helped pass a state Sexual Predator Law. He was named 1996 Legislator of the Year by the National Republican Legislators Association.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays YES Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "While balancing the budget is a top priority, raising taxes to do it is not an option."
FLOYD BRENHOLT (D) District 9 (Milwaukee suburbs; Part of Waukesha County; Sheboygan)
BORN: Aug. 27, 1931, Washburn EDUCATION: U of Wisconsin at Whitewater, B.Ed., 1953; U of Wisconsin, M.S., 1964 FAMILY: Wife, Mary Kay; six children RELIGION: NR MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Teacher; school superintendent POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: 907 Decker Drive, West Bend 53095. Tel.: 414-338-3256
The underdog in his first election, Brenholt is introducing a slate of innovative programs to improve education and stop teenage crime. He would press for year-round schools where teachers have no more than 90 students each and every student has a "personal adult advocate" as a counselor. To prevent crime, he supports the Brady Bill, and would open schools during off hours to get teenagers out of harm's way.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense YES Abortion YES Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "Crime is something we wish to prevent, rather than simply waiting until someone is a victim of a crime that must be punished."
JAMES SENSENBRENNER JR. (R) District 9
BORN: June 14, 1943, Chicago EDUCATION: Stanford U, B.A., 1965; U of Wisconsin, J.D., 1968 FAMILY: Wife, Cheryl; two children RELIGION: Episcopalian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer POLITICAL CAREER: Wisconsin Assembly, 1969-75; Wisconsin Senate, 1975-78; U.S. House, 1978- ADDRESS: P.O. Box 575, Brookfield 53008. Tel.: 414-967-9292
Sensenbrenner is a solid conservative in a reliably conservative district; for the past 16 years he has either run unopposed or won at least 70% of the vote. Besides his anti-spending voting record, for which he rated a Taxpayers Best Friend Award from the National Taxpayers' Union, he is staunchly antiabortion and opposed a law making it a crime to use force or threats against a woman seeking an abortion. This year he co-sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act, which lets states refuse to acknowledge same-sex marriages.
THE ISSUES