Racine Senate candidates hold news conferences Wednesday

RACINE -- Candidates in Racine's state Senate recall race are making the most of the final days of the campaign before voters head to the polls on June 5th.

On the Wednesday before election day, both senatorial candidates - Democrat John Lehman and incumbent Republican Van Wanggaard held news conferences.

"We believe we have a much stronger record on public safety and my guess is he's trying to combat that with hispress conference," Lehman said.

Wanggaard stood on the steps of the Racine County Courthouse, flanked by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Teri Jendusa-Nicolai - a victim of a violent domestic assault, and Jennifer Pichelman - the mother of a nine-year-old abuse victim. All touted Wanggaard's legislation advocating public safety.

Wanggaard admitted the gathering was an effort to counter opposition campaign ads.

"The war on women issue that they're just floating out there trying to distract us from what's really working here in the state -- our reforms. We are working hard to protect women," Wanggaard said.

"One of the things is, in the Department of Justice, he pulled back on funding for domestic assault victims," Lehman said.

Lehman and Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said they're motivating volunteers to get supporters to the polls.

"It's canvassing, knocking on doors, mailers," Lehman said.

"I feel a real calm in my heart that we're doing everything we need to do to be successful," Wanggaard said.

The Lehman-Wanggaard race is predicted to be a tight one. The two men ran against one another for the same seat a-year-and-a-half ago.

Related stories: