Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination to represent the 47th Assembly District. The seat is currently held by Rep. Eugene Hahn, R-Cambria, who is not seeking re-election. The victor will take on the winner of the two-way Democratic primary (profiles of those candidates ran in Friday's State Journal).

Erich J. Ruth

Age: 36

Address: 824 Woods Glen Court, DeForest

Job: Owns and operates a software development company in DeForest.

Political experience: Elected and re-elected to the DeForest Village Board.

Other public service: Currently serves on the DeForest Area Senior Center Commission and DeForest Housing Authority. Also served on the Library Board, Public Works, and Finance & Administration.

Education: Bachelor's degree in economics from Arizona State University.

Web site: www.ruthforassembly.org

Keith Ripp

Age: 46

Address: 7113 County Road V, Lodi

Current job: Owner and operator of Ripp Farms LLC and R Enterprises LLC.

Political experience: Supervisor for the town of Dane.

Other public service: Founding member and president of Badger AgVest LLC; president of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (president for three years; board member for eight years); past president of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association (served as president for two years and director for six years); founding member and past president of Lodi FFA Alumni.

Education: Graduate of UW-Madison Ag & Life Sciences Industry Short Course.

Web site: www.keithripp.com

Steven Pate

Age: 58

Address: N 6838 Boyd Road, Pardeeville

Current job: Telecommunications engineer for ATCO.

Political experience: Portage school board member for 23 years (serving on Finance Committee, Negotiations Committee and president for eight years).

Other public service: Sixteen years on the CESA 5 Board of Control (currently serving as chairman); appointed by the state superintendent of schools to the District Boundary Appeals Board; serves on the Policy and Resolutions Committee for Wisconsin Association of School Boards; Association For Equity In Funding Steering Committee member; Portage FFA Alumni Council member (currently serving as vice president); member of the Winnebago Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club since 1969; 18 years as a snowmobile safety instructor; Columbia County representative to Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs.

Education: Graduated from Portage High school and attended Madison Area Technical College.

Web site: www.stevepateforassembly.com

Tim McCumber

Age: 42

Address: S8161 Kassner Road, Merrimac

Political experience: Town supervisor (2000-02); deputy town clerk-treasurer and zoning administrator (2002-04); town administrator and clerk-treasurer (2004 to present).

Other public service: Chairman, Merrimac Community Charter School Governance Council; member, president and past treasurer, Our Savior Lutheran Church Council; past state vice president, regional director, district director, and state parliamentarian, Wisconsin Junior Chamber of Commerce (21 years); past president and treasurer, Jaycees of Wisconsin Foundation; trustee, Middleton Good Neighbor Fest.

Education: Burlington High School; attended UW-Madison and MATC.

Web site: www.timmccumber.com

Why are you running for office?

Ruth: To create jobs and cut taxes. I will do everything I can to reform our state Legislature and constantly listen to resident concerns. I live and work in DeForest and if a resident ever has a concern about any issue, I encourage them to call me at home. I can always make time for residents.

Ripp: I am running because I think government needs to be run like a business and I want to share the knowledge I have gained as a businessman and community leader to serve the people, while applying common sense. My job is to be a representative of the people who place their trust in me to be their voice in Madison.

Pate: As an assemblyman from the 47th district I want to work on behalf of the citizens of the district to create new opportunities and to work on issues that are important to them. My professional and civic backgrounds have given me the experience to make tough decisions, find ways to stay within a budget and find ways to solve problems.

McCumber: I decided to run to preserve the autonomy of local governments and to protect citizens' rights to have a say in the decision-making process. My experience as Merrimac town administrator and on the governance council of Merrimac Community Charter School has taught me that community-based solutions work. If we hand everything over to Madison we will just get partisan gridlock.

The uncertain economy could mean trouble for the next state budget. What services would you cut, or what taxes or fees would you raise?

Ruth: The 2007-09 budget proposed upwards of $2 billion in new taxes and fees representing a 9 percent increase over the last biennial budget. These increases take money out of taxpayers' pockets and the private economy and put it into the hands of our state government. Our state government is large enough. The deficit can and should be eliminated by finding savings and efficiencies within government -- not by raising taxes.

Ripp: We need to prioritize, then re-evaluate our programs to see where cuts can be made if any. We all share the same struggles with high costs of health care, increasing energy prices, growing grocery bills, high taxes, and worry about our kids' future. Now is not the time to raise taxes. Our government needs to work harder than we do.

Pate: We need to evaluate all capital expenditures planned for the 2009-10 state budget. After a thorough evaluation, we need to determine which projects could wait to the next biennium to be completed. If it is decided to reduce local assistance funds we must also eliminate any mandates that cannot be funded. We also need to have our state agencies become more efficient.

McCumber: It is a false choice to say that we must raise taxes or cut services. In Merrimac, we have a quality local government with a mill rate of 76 cents. When our local school was threatened with closure, parents and teachers formed a committee that lowered costs from more than $15,000 per pupil to less than $8,000. Citizen oversight is the key.

What can the state do to expand access to health care while keeping it affordable?

Ruth: Wisconsin's minimum markup law, by barring retailers from selling products at below cost, also prevents Target from selling 16 drugs at the bargain price of $4. Those who stand to gain from lower-priced Target drugs are those who most need it: the nation's uninsured Americans who don't have the benefit of a health plan with co-pays or full coverage.

Ripp: Keep health care competitive in the free market, provide people with better-quality information like open disclosure of costs, so families can control their health-care dollars and have the doctors they choose.

Pate: Controlling health-care costs is a top concern. The state could become a single negotiator for catastrophic insurance and pharmaceuticals. Once the insurance pools are established for large groups such as school districts, state and municipal employees, the plan could be expanded to farmers and small businesses.

McCumber: We can do three things immediately. We can reshape existing state programs like BadgerCare for those who cannot afford health insurance and HIRSP for people with high underwriting risks. We can require transparency in health information about costs and quality, so consumers can direct their business wisely. Finally, we can encourage consumers to "shop around" with tax-sheltered health savings accounts.

Are state revenue limits on schools and levy limits on municipalities too tight, too loose or just right?

Ruth: Too tight; I want strong local control.

Ripp: The limits are just right and there are tools in place to exceed those limits when necessary.

Pate: Too tight

McCumber: I would not change the levy limits until we reform spending.

Statewide smoking ban: Yes or no?

Ruth: Yes

Ripp: Yes, but phased in to minimize the impact on businesses.

Pate: No

McCumber: No on all buildings, but yes in buildings where children are present.

Repeal minimum markup law: Yes or no?

Ruth: Yes

Ripp: It needs to be reformed to clean up the regulations.

Pate: No

McCumber: No, but supports lowering the markup amount.