Joel Rivlin
From left: Julia Arata-Fratta, Tony Hartmann and Jimmy Anderson.
Fitchburg, it seems, is a breeding ground for up-and-coming politicos eyeing higher office. All three Democratic candidates in the race for Wisconsin’s District 47 Assembly seat hail from the suburb encroaching on Madison’s southern border.
Jimmy Anderson, a political novice who runs a nonprofit that provides assistance to victims of drunk drivers, launched his campaign back in April, hoping to unseat incumbent Robb Kahl, a four-term Monona mayor.
But Kahl announced weeks later that he wouldn’t seek reelection.
Anderson, who was recently endorsed by former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, now faces two challengers, both Fitchburg alderpersons.
“It doesn’t change my campaign,” says Anderson, referring to his new opponents. “I’m still going to knock on doors. I’m really enjoying talking to people.”
All three have been working District 47’s campaign trail, which covers all of McFarland and Monona, part of the cities of Fitchburg and Madison, and all or part of the towns of Cottage Grove, Blooming Grove, Dunn and Madison.
The candidate who wins the Aug. 9 primary will be on the November ballot. No Republicans filed nominating papers, which were due June 1; however, Adam Dahl has filed to run as a “Bernie Sanders Independent.”
Julia Arata-Fratta, a supervisor in the tax and business services department at Wegner CPAs, dislikes what Walker has done with public schools, particularly his voucher program, and fears things are only going to get worse. “I’m very sick of this guy,” she says. “He is taking Wisconsin down the wrong path.”
The 49-year-old also wants the Assembly makeup to reflect the population. “People talk about getting the black vote or the Latino vote, but we need to be on the ballot, too,” Arata-Fratta says. “There needs to be more diversity in the Assembly.”
Tony Hartmann announced his candidacy on May 21, followed by a day of gathering the 200 signatures required to be on the ballot for August’s primary.
“We already turned them in,” says Hartmann, a Fitchburg alder. “They said I’m the first one to get them in, but I don’t know if that’s a strategic thing.”
Hartmann decided to run after Anderson and Arata-Fratta called to ask for his endorsement.
“After talking to them I started thinking, I’m 59, so it’s a good time to throw my hat in the ring,” he says.
Like Anderson, Hartmann wants to end the partisan gridlock that has hindered legislation benefitting all Wisconsin residents.
“I’m old enough to remember the good old days. We need to reach out to the rural areas more,” says Hartmann, who has enlisted former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Interior Ada Deer as his campaign treasurer. “Eventually the divide-and-conquer strategy is going to wear thin.”
Hartmann, who grew up on Madison’s west side, wants to restore funding to public schools and expand the state’s clean energy industry with an eye toward job creation.
“For me it means you’re really for people first,” he says. “I’d be representing 99% of Wisconsin.”