69th AD primary candidates Rep. Karen Hurd, R-Fall Creek, and challenger Lori Voss, R-Abbotsford, differ on approaches to marijuana legalization, abortion and surplus spending.
Voss has served as city council member, mayor and EMT for the city of Abbotsford. Hurd is completing her freshman term as the representative for what was the 68th AD before the maps were redrawn. She was drawn into the 91st AD, but decided to move to the open 69th seat.
Voss, 64, and Hurd, 66, spoke to WisPolitics about their platforms.
The winner of the primary will face Roger Halls, D-Stanley, in the general election. The 69th AD contains all of Clark County and parts of western Marathon County, southeast Taylor County and southeast Chippewa County. It is 70% Republican.
On managing the projected $3 billion in state surplus funds at the end of the 2023-25 budget period, Voss said the money should be split between funding education and tax cuts, while Hurd said it should be used only for income tax cuts.
“Young families can’t save a dollar anymore because inflation has gone through the roof,” Voss said.
But Voss added she thinks funding education is also necessary.
“Our children are our most valuable people that are going to someday be in all these jobs that all of us have and hopefully open small businesses and run for government,” Voss said.
Hurd said the best way to solve inflation is to give the money back to the taxpayers.
“When [taxpayers] purchase products, that fuels the economy because then there’s more demand,” Hurd said. “If there’s demand, the economy increases. That is the answer for inflation and the economy is to give the money back to the residents.”
Hurd, a nutritionist, said she is “definitely in favor” of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.
“I’m a health care professional,” Hurd said. “I know marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes to help in pain. There’s several different conditions that it can help with.”
Voss said she sees marijuana as a gateway drug and public safety hazard.
“What’s gonna stop people from passing [medical marijuana] around or buying it, selling it, and trading it to somebody else?” Voss said. “So I’m deeply concerned about that and about the potential for driving under the influence. How do you test what level of THC is safe?”
On abortion access, Voss — who is endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin — said she believes in adoption, not abortion.
“I support stricter measures,” Voss said. “I support pro-life, pro-adoption. And where are the concerns of the father incorporated in any of this? There’s a lot of good dads out there.”
Hurd said she would prefer to put the issue to binding referendum and “let the people decide.”
In addition:
- Both candidates support GOP efforts seeking to ban transgender athletes from playing girls’ sports.
- Both candidates support reducing or eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion positions in state government including at the University of Wisconsin.
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