EAU CLAIRE—June 14, 2006 State Senate candidate Pat Kreitlow welcomed this week’s announcement that Sen. Dave Zien will attempt to defend the record of the current legislature by running for re-election in the 23rd District. Zien has been a Senator for thirteen years (since a 1993 special election) and was in the Assembly for four years prior.

“Senator Zien has been part of Madison political circles for nearly two decades, and in that time the ‘rebel’ and ‘outsider’ has become what he always said he wouldn’t: a career politician who has failed to craft meaningful solutions to the issues that matter most to working families in Wisconsin. Instead, we have a ‘Do Nothing’ legislature that makes a lot of noise but accomplishes nearly nothing on issues like affordable health care, truly reforming the property tax system, and cleaning up corrupt state politics. Instead, we get more games and gimmicks.”

“This year,” Kreitlow said, “voters will turn away the current crop of career politicians and choose new –and in some cases—familiar faces to represent them at the capitol. As a state senator, my first priority will be working with Democrats and Republicans to provide health care security to nearly all Wisconsin families. By doing that, we will help end our state’s current pace of skyrocketing health care costs. We will tackle the major driver of property tax increases for Wisconsin homeowners. And we will lift a major burden off the backs of Wisconsin businesses and give them breathing room to hire more workers. There is no shortage of ideas for solving this problem, only a shortage of political courage and bipartisanship from entrenched incumbents. The message is clear: We Deserve a Better Legislature.”

In fact, nine area Democratic challengers have opened a new website to help voters find information on the races in their area: www.wedeserveabetterlegislature.com

At “We Deserve a Better Legislature.com,” visitors will find a gateway that takes them to several area candidates for Senate and Assembly. They’ll find maps that will help them determine who represents them now, and who will do a better job of representing them next year. Visitors can also find links for information on donations, volunteer efforts and more information on the way Democratic candidates can end the long record of legislative gimmicks and gridlock.

The 23rd State Senate district is comprised of the 67th, 68th and 69th Assembly districts. Democratic candidates for those seats are Roberta Rasmus, Michael Turner and Tim Swiggum.

The General Election will be held November 7th.