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Kelda Helen Roys for Assembly

An editorial  —  9/03/2008 5:21 am

The 81st Assembly District covers a lot of territory. It includes Madison's far east and north sides and Middleton's 8th Ward; the villages of Mazomanie, Cross Plains, Black Earth and Waunakee; and the towns of Berry, Burke, Black Earth, Westport and Springfield.

Urban, suburban and rural, it includes racially and ethnically diverse city neighborhoods and longtime family farms, pockets of poverty and million-dollar homes, historic villages and some of Dane County's newest housing developments.

Though it has been reshaped and renumbered over the years by redistricting, much of what is now the 81st has been represented for three decades by state Rep. Dave Travis, D-Waunakee. Travis arrived in the Assembly as an energetic freshman with a reformer's sensibility. He became a savvy player on budget issues and, when Democrats were in charge of the Assembly, a key legislative leader. But, as the years went by, Travis faced challenges from Republicans and even Democrats who suggested that the district needs fresh representation.

Travis took the hint and announced his decision not to seek another term months ago. His graceful exit created an opening in a Dane County district with a Democratic tilt. That doesn't happen often. And the list of candidates running in the Sept. 9 party primary is impressive.

There are six contenders: lawyer and reproductive rights advocate Kelda Helen Roys, legislative aide Justin Sargent, Waunakee Village President John Laubmeier, Madison restaurant owner Peng Her, retired insurance industry lobbyist Eric Englund and Dane County Assistant District Attorney Tim Kiefer. All six are credible candidates who would contribute to an Assembly chamber that could flip from Republican to Democratic control next January.

John Laubmeier is a teacher and an elected official who mixes idealism and a sense of history with nuts-and-bolts knowledge of how government works at the local level.

Peng Her is a community activist with a winning personality and progressive values that fit well with the Madison sections of the district. We expect to see him soon on the Madison School Board, the City Council or the County Board.

Eric Englund is an experienced Capitol hand who knows his way around the legislative and political processes. While some critics are troubled by his past association with the insurance industry, we've been struck by his willingness to take bold, edgy stands that challenge the status quo on issues such as tax policy and higher education funding.

Tim Kiefer is an able newcomer who is pitching himself as a reformer. We like his suggestion that the Legislature might function better as a part-time institution. But we find some of his proposals -- including one to replace elected judges with appointed jurists -- to be gimmicky and ill thought out.

Ultimately, however, we think the race comes down to two serious and energetic competitors who possess the progressive values, the backgrounds and the hard-won skills that we think are necessary to hit the ground running as legislators: Justin Sargent and Kelda Helen Roys.

Frankly, we had a hard time choosing between the two.

Sargent served as chief of staff for state Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, when she became Senate minority leader and then, after Democrats took control of the Senate, as director of outreach and operations.

Roys is a lawyer who, as executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, the state's leading reproductive health political advocacy organization, has worked with legislators as an advocate.

Both candidates know their way around the Capitol. But Roys is a little bit more of an outsider, and we like that.

Both candidates have issued detailed statements on an array of critical issues. Both are progressive -- and impressive. Sargent's are a bit more detailed and wide-ranging. That's to his credit.

Both candidates are agile public speakers and debaters, displaying skills that serve a legislator well. Sargent is a little smoother, and would be a particularly able advocate for progressive causes.

Sargent and Roys both have deep roots in Madison. While Sargent's are on the west side, Roys' are on the east and north sides. Credit to Roys.

We're sure that both candidates would be diligent constituent representatives. But Roys also has a track record of being a leader on an issue -- reproductive rights -- that relates closely to the broader health care debate. More credit to Roys. And bonus points because she seems to be ready to push the envelope -- acting on principle rather than political expediency -- in advocating for meaningful health care reforms. Drs. Linda and Gene Farley, who we respect as leaders on behalf of real reform, have endorsed Roys, and that counts for a lot with us.

Obviously, we could live with either Justin Sargent or Kelda Helen Roys. And we suspect that a lot of prospective primary voters in the 81st District feel the same way. But just as we argue that voters should go to the polls and make the tough choices, so we must do the same. And in this critical primary race -- which will decide a contest that has no Republican or independent contenders -- we opt for Roys.

In a field of impressive candidates, Roys stands out as the contender who we believe is most likely to emerge as an effective advocate for the residents of the 81st District and as a bold and independent progressive leader in the Legislature.

On Sept. 9, we recommend that 81st District voters take a Democratic primary ballot and cast a vote for Kelda Helen Roys.

An editorial  —  9/03/2008 5:21 am