By Urban Media News
Mary Burke
Eight months ago readers were introduced to Democratic candidate for governor, Mary Burke.
Her story of being a businesswoman, philanthropist, and public servant wasn’t well known, but Mary has since become a road warrior, hitting the campaign trail visiting towns big and small to talk about her plan to “Invest in Success” and make Wisconsin a top-ten, thriving economy.
But Burke isn’t just making appearances for photo opportunities; she’s connecting with voters on a very real level.
Pocketbook issues are taking center stage early in the race, and voters can identify with Mary’s plan to create jobs and make sound investments in the state.
Regardless of their political affiliation, all Wisconsinites want to make good financial decisions and want a governor who will do the same — budgeting and saving for both today and tomorrow.
When out on the stump, Mary stresses the importance of investing our resources where they will yield the greatest possible benefit for the entire state.
As the only candidate in the race with experience balancing budgets and making payrolls in the private sector, the former Trek Bicycle executive speaks from a place of experience.
In contrast with her opponent, Burke’s resume reflects a career of making responsible decisions to stay out of the red and create jobs at the same time. Burke’s financial responsibility started at a young age.
Raised in a family that routinely preached the virtues of hard work and responsibility, Mary was the only one of her four siblings to keep track of how much of her allowance was spent and saved.
Reminiscing on their childhood, her brother John told Wisconsin media, “Whenever there was a fundraiser [at school] Mary was in charge. If you needed anyone to keep track of the cash, it was Mary.”
In business school, Mary excelled in the classroom and impressed her peers. Her classmate, Allen Sperry, remembers Mary as a star in the classroom, someone who “knows what she’s talking about” when it comes to accounting and finance.
After the success of her family’s bicycle startup, Trek Bicycle, Mary’s early lessons helped her stay grounded, always remembering that money didn’t grow on trees, and she would have to work for the things she wanted. Mary’s parents drilled those lessons into their children’s heads and kept reminding them even in adulthood. When her father passed away, his wealth was donated to charity, instead of being passed down to Mary and her siblings.
Just like most of us, nothing was handed to Mary; she learned the value of the dollar through hard work and sacrifice.
When she speaks to voters about her plan to turn the state around, it sounds familiar because Wisconsin households have to make prudent financial decisions every day.
What voters want and need is a Governor they can trust to make the right decisions with their tax dollars. In a close race, Burke’s connection with voters could make all the difference on Election Day.
Her message is genuine; it’s what she has spent her life doing up to this point, and it could very well make her Governor-elect at year’s end.