[Wisconsin State Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) has been at the forefront of the War on Women. From calling single mothers child abusers to stating that money is more important to men than to women, Grothman has thrown down the gauntlet in a challenge to the dignity and equal rights of women. Tanya Lohr has picked up the challenge and will face him in the election for the 20th Senate District seat in November. What follows is her campaign announcement delivered at a rally against the War on Women at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Read our editorial policy on coverage of candidates here.]
Tanya Lohr at the rally against the War on Women. Photo courtesy of Sara Finger.
Hello! I’d like to thank all of you for being here today. My name is Tanya Lohr and I am running for the State Senate in District 20, the seat currently held by Glenn Grothman.
I am running for this office because District 20 needs a senator who will represent all of its residents and will work to help strengthen communities instead of supporting legislation that weakens them.
Strong communities provide children with a solid education so they can become productive, self-sufficient members of society. As the State Senator in District 20, I will work to properly fund public schools because I understand this funding is an investment in each community’s future. Cuts to education result in higher costs to communities because unskilled, uneducated adults place a higher demand on society’s safety nets and the corrections system. The more fiscally responsible choice is to provide young people with the education they need to become self-sufficient.
Strong communities provide access to health care in an efficient, cost effective manner. As your State Senator, I will work to protect people’s access to health care because I understand that people need to be healthy in order to be productive. Communities suffer the consequences of cuts to health care in the form of lost time at work and school and the need to provide expensive, emergency care. The more fiscally responsible choice is to provide people with access to adequate health care.
Strong communities honor and respect the contributions of their members equally and appropriately. As the State Senator in District 20, I will work to restore Wisconsin’s Equal Pay Enforcement Act because I understand that money is just as important to women as it is to men. Paying women equitably will increase family incomes, increase buying power, and decrease demand on social welfare programs. The fiscally responsible choice is to protect women’s access to equal pay.
If elected, I pledge to work with any other State Senator, Democrat or Republican, who will work with me to make the fiscally responsible investments that are needed in education and in health care, and to restore the Equal Pay Enforcement Act.
Join with me in reclaiming State Senate District 20 and moving our district and the State of Wisconsin FORWARD again! Thank you!
Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative 
That was my 9th Grade Global Studies Teacher!