Republican US Rep. Glenn Grothman, 71, Faces Three Opponents

Candidates for the 6th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Rep. Glenn Grothman, left, and Democrat Brad Smith. Photos courtesy of the candidates’ campaigns

Democrat Brad Smith of Mequon, a National Guard veteran and political newcomer, is trying to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman of Glenbeulah, who has represented Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District for more than a decade.

The east-central Wisconsin district contains much of Winnebago County, along with Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Columbia, Marquette and Waushara counties.

Though its boundaries have changed over the years, a Democrat hasn’t represented the district since the 1960s. Grothman, 71, has been elected to Congress six times, winning his last race with 61 percent of the vote. He won his first race for the seat in 2014 after serving more than two decades in the Wisconsin Legislature.

Smith said he believes it’s time for a new voice to represent the district, arguing Grothman has grown out of touch with his constituents. But Grothman said his experience makes him a more effective lawmaker and he has unfinished work in Washington.

“Like any job, the longer you’re here, the more you learn and the more you are capable of getting things done,” Grothman told WPR. “I don’t view myself as being worse in my twelfth year than my eighth year. I view myself as being better because I’m more experienced.”

Smith grew up in Neenah and enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard after high school, eventually serving 14 months overseas during the second Iraq War. After his service, Smith went back to school and went to work in the software industry before launching his own consulting firm.

He said he spent much of his life feeling like “politics were rather gross and boring.” But he said he felt like he needed to run for office because it felt like future generations may not be able to access the opportunities that he had.

Smith also said he’s “frustrated” that many serving in Congress, including his opponent, treat it as a “long-term career path” instead of an opportunity to serve.

“I am very, very frustrated with Glenn in particular, but I think this is a bigger picture challenge too,” he said. “I’d like to see more reforms that make it more of a civic service and a tour of duty — almost like when I deployed — rather than, ‘Hey, I’m getting into a lifetime career and I need to be in here until they roll me out on a cart.’”

Grothman acknowledged criticism of members of Congress who serve too long. But he said he feels like he’s still dedicated to the job, and there’s more work he wants to get done.

Grothman said “welfare reform” is his biggest priority, saying he believes the current system disincentivizes marriage and working.

“We all know people who can only work so many hours because it’ll dig into their benefits, and our situation discourages marriage,” he said. “It, I think, bears a lot of the responsibility for the breakdown from the family.”

The Trump factor in this year’s race

Grothman said he believes President Donald Trump has generally done a good job during his second term, particularly on immigration policy and efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government.

But Grothman said his biggest gripe with Trump is his communication style, saying he wished Trump’s rhetoric was a bit more “presidential.”

“He says things that are inappropriate for a president to say, and that’s why his popularity isn’t where it should be — whether he’s talking about Canada being the 51st state or saying Lake Ontario should be Lake America, or whatever,” Grothman said. “It drives down his popularity. I don’t think it’s so much things he’s done.”

Smith said he wants to go to Congress to help provide a check on the Trump administration. He said the administration has been trying to govern through executive orders to override or avoid Congress.

Smith pointed to the war in Iran as an example of the president avoiding congressional oversight.

“As a person who served in one of our prior ‘forever wars,’ I have a damn strong opinion and lived viewpoint from this on the impacts on the people, the service members (and) the places where war is being waged,” he said. “I just see this undermining of all of the checks and balances.”

Congress has not specifically authorized the war with Iran, which began in late February. Several war powers resolutions directing Trump to withdraw U.S. forces have been floated, but none have made it to the president’s desk.

While he wants to provide a check on the president, Smith also acknowledged that he will have to win over some Republican voters if he hopes to flip the district.

“I don’t care about the politics of it,” he said. “We have to do right for our place that we call home. This is a very mixed district, so my job will be to figure out how to represent everyone here.”

Independent and third party candidates also on the ballot

Grothman and Smith also face independent candidate Mike Thurow, Wisconsin Green Party candidate Matthew Arndt and independent candidate Elizabeth Fitzgibbon.

Fitzgibbon is running on a platform pushing for more government accountability, which includes “calling for a full Constitutional Audit.”

“I am not running to manage a system that was built to ignore you,” she said on her campaign website. “I am running to audit the foundation and return the power of this country to the people.”

Thurow, who serves as a union fire captain, told WPR he’s running because he doesn’t feel the two parties are working for the people.

“I won’t answer to a party boss or a corporate PAC, only to the people here,” he said. “I want to bring down costs, make markets fair again, and push the reforms both parties are scared of.”

Arndt told WPR he’s running “because working people, family farmers, and small businesses are being squeezed while concentrated corporate power grows stronger.”

Arndt was arrested last week following a road rage incident that included profanity and anti-Israel remarks, according to WTMJ-TV. In a statement to the station, he apologized for losing his composure. Formal charges had not been filed as of Monday afternoon.

Republican US Rep. Glenn Grothman faces Democrat Brad Smith in race for Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.