WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |Vote 2008: Kapanke vs. Johnson
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La Crosse, WI (WXOW)
Incumbent Republican Dan Kapanke faces first time Democratic challenger Tara Johnson.
Both are focusing on creating new jobs, healthcare, and the economy.
One of the biggest differences between the candidates are their opinions on how to go about fixing the healthcare system.
Dan Kapanke has been in the State Senate for four years.
In that time he says he has made a difference in the healthcare system with efforts like the Dental Care Advocacy Coalition and the Autism Task Force.
Tara Johnson says that's not enough.
She wants overhaul the current system.
If elected, Johnson has outlined a one hundred day plan for healthcare reform.
She says she's envisioned five to eight basic healthcare plans where everyone pays something for it.
She says most importantly it needs to be comprehensive, covering more than just daily medical needs and also portable, meaning it travels with the person not the employer.
Kapanke says there is only a small percent of Wisconsin residents that are un-insured or under-insured.
He says in comparison to other states, Wisconsin's healthcare system is doing well.
He wants to focus on that five or six percent of people in need without up-rooting the entire system.
"I believe the glass is half full as far as the healthcare in Wisconsin. We need to improve on areas that need improving like the number of un-insured," says Kapanke.
"There is a huge mess to clean up. There are over half a million Wisconsinites that have no access to healthcare at all and of the people that have coverage, they are paying too much," says Johnson.
She says the money to fund a new healthcare system is already in place.
She says the budget just needs to be prioritized.
Kapanke disagrees.
He says the only way to support new healthcare programs is with new money.
He says the money needs to come from bringing more jobs into Wisconsin.
