Dear editor:

I listened to the recent debate between Tricia Zunker and Tom Tiffany for the 7th Congressional District House of Representatives seat and it was clear who the best candidate would be to represent northern Wisconsin, and it certainly wasn’t Tiffany.  Mr. Tiffany was a defacto campaign spokesman for Donald Trump as he was in unanimous support of all the damage this dangerous and incompetent president has inflicted on our great nation.  In contrast, Ms. Zunker spoke eloquently about the needs of the people in the 7th District including health care, education, farming, jobs and protection of the environment.

Tiffany’s record as a state senator speaks for itself.  He has opposed initiatives to protect our environment characterizing climate change as “theoretical” and was instrumental in working with then Gov. Scott Walker in decimating the Wisconsin DNR which included the elimination of scientists from the Bureau of Science Services.  The scientists were involved with research involving climate change, emerging pollutants, CWD and the severe impacts of the Penokee Hills mine, of which he was a supporter of Gogebic Taconite and a promoter of weakening Wisconsin’s mining regulations. The mining proposal, of course, was eventually dropped in the face of significant opposition and would have been an unmitigated disaster to the entire Bad River watershed and to Lake Superior itself.  Tiffany also voted to shield lead paint manufacturers from paying damages for harm caused to children and supported private school vouchers at the expense of public school funding.

Tricia Zunker needs our vote on May 12 to ensure that we have a prominent voice in Washington instead of another back-bencher supported by special interests who cares little about the real issues of northern Wisconsin.

Duane Lahti of Iron River

Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly accepts letters to the editor from residents, officials, and candidates for local offices. The views of our readers are not necessarily the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, send to [email protected].