By Martha Love
Martha Love
This Tuesday, August 12, is a critical election day for Milwaukee residents. We will have an opportunity to cast our ballots in numerous important races, and it is vital that you show up to vote on Tuesday.
In the Democratic primaries for Attorney General and County Sheriff, we have clear choices for a safer, stronger community.
I encourage you to vote for Jon Richards for Attorney General and Chris Moews for County Sheriff on Tuesday.
Richards, a veteran lawmaker and attorney from Milwaukee, has always fought for our city and its residents during his fifteen years in public office.
He’s championed universal background checks for gun purchases, voting rights, stronger schools, and access to health care. Jon Richards is a true progressive in every sense of the word, and his leadership will be a refreshing change in Madison, where the Attorney General runs the Department of Justice.
Richards’ opponents are good people, but they have narrow backgrounds as criminal prosecutors, and they have little experience in fighting for families.
Ismael Ozanne from Dane County has the right values, but his campaign has been totally dysfunctional and that bodes poorly for both a general election campaign and our confidence in his ability to run the Department of Justice.
Susan Happ, from Jefferson County, lacks the progressive credentials to be our Democratic nominee.
Even more troubling, while Richards has been leading the fight to take on gun violence, Happ seems more focused on keeping her cozy relationship with special interest groups like the Wisconsin Tavern League.
Richards is by far the strongest candidate in the Democratic field.
In the local race, I feel strongly that Lt. Chris Moews must be our next County Sheriff.
David Clarke has misrepresented himself in many ways to try and win the votes of city residents, but the mask is off and his true colors as a strong friend of racists like Mark Belling and Charlie Sykes are shining through.
Clarke’s budget is out of control, his agency no longer leads on guns, drugs or witness protection, and his responsibilities have been taken away due to failed leadership.
I could go on and on about David Clarke’s missteps and incompetency.
On the other hand, Moews has a long record as a smart, fair, effective cop who works with the community to make us safer.
He currently serves as Executive Officer of District 7, and he’s consistently come in under budget while solving the highest number of crimes across divisions.
He has made it clear he will prioritize public safety, not politics.
Milwaukee needs a new Sheriff committed to reducing gun violence, who can work with others, and Chris Moews will restore the public’s confidence in the Sheriff’s Department.
We have a lot of challenges in Milwaukee County, including human trafficking, and we need the right leaders to meet today’s challenges.
Jon Richards and Chris Moews are the best choices for Milwaukee to keep us safe and advance our values in the primary election on Tuesday, August 12.
Martha Love is a member of the Democratic National Committee and a Milwaukee community leader.
She formerly served as Chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County and as a national DNC Vice-Chair under President Bill Clinton.