Tammy Baldwin and Leah Vukmir Clash in First Senate Debate

Sen. Tammy Baldwin and challenger Leah Vukmir clashed over almost every issue, including healthcare, veterans, immigration, women’s rights and gun violence at the Oct. 8, 2018 U.S. Senate debate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The only things they did agree on was favoring the Second Amendment and praising Amazon for raising the minimum wage for its company. Democrat Baldwin and Republican Vukmir were not afraid to call the other out as the debate went on, with both the candidates and the audience members being overly vocal and lively.

“Senator Baldwin is ignorant of preexisting conditions in insurance,” said Vukmir.

“Leah Vukmir bashing on Medicare does not get rid of Medicare,” said Baldwin.

Baldwin and Vukmir debated at the UW-Milwaukee campus at the Peck School of the Arts Mainstage Theatre Monday night. The debate was moderated by Mitch Teich from Lake Effect and Charles Benson and Shannon Sims from TMJ4. This debate for the Senate is the first of three before voting on Tuesday Nov. 6. The Wisconsin race for the Senate is one of 35 contested seats this year. Democrats are seeking to regain power in the chamber and that could mean a possible impeachment of President Trump if they do; a Vukmir victory in Wisconsin would make that less likely depending what happens in other states with contested races. Baldwin has led in all of the recent polls by a fairly wide margin.

Healthcare was the hot button issue of the night. Baldwin said that, if nothing is done for health care, it will end up costing more in the long run.

“I believe as a fundamental value that all Americans should be able to afford healthcare,” Baldwin told the audience in her opening statement.

Baldwin also talked about concerns of preexisting conditions affecting possible enrollment. Vukmir, a registered nurse from Brookfield, called The Affordable Care Act “Baldwincare” and told the audience that consumerism is the way for healthcare in order to protect the quality.

“Who are you going to trust to solve our health care crisis,” Vukmir asked the audience. “A career politician or a nurse taking care of people in a hospital?” Cheers erupted from the red-clad Vukmir supporters as the moderators reminded the audience once more to contain themselves.

Tammy Baldwin supporters, dressed in their baby blue T-shirts and covered in campaign stickers, booed as Vukmir called Baldwin ignorant of the current terms dealing with preexisting conditions with insurance.

Vukmir and Baldwin were also fiery over veterans. Vukmir, who is the mother of a Marine, said that veterans’ care is very near and dear to her. She then accused Baldwin of giving a former staffer hush money to cover up Jason Simcakoski’s death at the Tomah VA from opioid over prescription.

“Leah Vukmir should be ashamed,” said Baldwin of Vukmir’s attack. “She used a Marine’s death for her own campaign.”

Such harsh criticism drew gasps and hollers from the handful of Vukmir supporters. Baldwin added that she and the Simcakoski family have worked on Jason’s Law, which is supposed to help cut back on opioid over prescription. In 2014, Baldwin was accused of not responding quickly enough to a report dealing with the epidemic of opioid over-prescription in Tomah, leading up to Simcakoski’s death.

Perhaps the most dramatic moments of the night came when the candidates talked about women’s issues, specifically late term abortions and #Metoo.

“I support a woman’s right to choose,” said Baldwin about abortions. “I don’t believe the government should interfere with a woman’s health or whether or when she should have a child. I also believe that my opponent has been at the very extreme of this issue.”

“I am 100-percent pro-life,” retorted Vukmir. “I can not even imagine not being pro-life. You want to talk about extreme Senator Baldwin? Extreme is voting for a partial birth abortion. It is the most disgusting thing that could happen. They pull the arms and the legs out of the mother. The brains are sucked out, that is vile. And you talk about a woman’s right to choose, a woman’s right to kill her baby.”

When the topic of sexual assault and the #Metoo movement came up, the drama ensued. While both candidates favored due process, they both had very different opinions about the effects and aftermath, specifically with the Kavanaugh hearings.

“I believe that the #Metoo movement was hurt by the course of the proceedings over the last two weeks,” said Vukmir. “The #Metoo movement is important and cheapened by her (Baldwin) actions on Judge Kavanaugh.”

“False,” “lies,” “shut up” were heard from the audience before they were told once more by the moderators to calm down and remain quiet. Senator Baldwin followed up by saying that the hearings for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford could have been more respectful and that many victims hold on to their attacks and assaults for years before they come out.

“Despite the outcome, I don’t want that to silence a generation who is scared right now,” said Baldwin.

During the closing statements Baldwin appealed to the middle class Wisconsinite, the dairy farmers and the small business owners.

“I’m fighting for the middle class taxpayers,” said Baldwin to a roar of cheers.

Vukmir again went back to her roots as a nurse and being from a family of immigrants. She said that, despite Baldwin getting $22 million from special interests groups, Vukmir worked for everything herself.

“Tammy Baldwin is more comfortable with her friends in the Hamptons than at a Friday night fish fry,” concluded Vukmir.

Chants of “Baldwin” and “Vukmir” started immediately after the closing of the debate. Not only did the candidates greatly oppose each other, but their supporters did as well.

“Her (Vukmir) supporters are very obnoxious, just like their candidate,” said Mary Longsine, Baldwin supporter. “Vukmir didn’t answer any questions, it was all attack, attack, attack just like every other republican.”

“The debate did it for me,” said Christine Bauman, Vukmir supporter. “When they talked about sexual assault and the Ford case, it put me over the edge.”

The next debate between Tammy Baldwin and Leah Vukmir will be October 13 in Wausau, Wis. Voting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6. To learn more about either candidate go to Tammy Baldwin’s website or Leah Vukmir ‘s website. Voting registration and locations can be accessed here.