Peter Theron is at it again. As he did in 2014, the Madison Republican is challenging Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth) to represent the 2nd Congressional District, which includes all of Dane County. He was trounced by Pocan two years ago, losing by more than 30 points. This campaign, he’s telling voters “enough with the new normal.”
“The new normal is subpar economic growth. We are told this is just the way it’s going to be from now on. We can do better,” says Theron during a phone interview with Isthmus. “To articulate that message, a conservative needed to run. And that’s me.”
This is Theron’s fourth bid for U.S. Congress. In 2008, he lost to then U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin. He was bested by fellow Republican Chad Lee in a competitive primary race in 2010 (Lee was defeated by Baldwin in the general). The last two election cycles, Theron has been the only Republican to challenge Pocan, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Theron is a professor of mathematics at Madison College. This semester he’s teaching intermediate algebra. He holds a bachelor’s degree in statistics from Princeton University and received a doctorate in mathematics from UW-Madison.
He may be running under the GOP banner but Theron refuses to say who he’s supporting in the presidential race.
“I’m not going to tell you. We have a secret ballot for a reason,” says Theron. “At this point, I would say the traditional media has worked really hard to get Hillary Clinton nominated and now to get her installed in the White House. She will be a terrible president. That’s my statement.”
Theron does share Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s view that federal regulations supported by the Obama administration are “holding back the economy.” He wants to repeal Obama’s landmark healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, including provisions that prevent insurers from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ plan until the age of 26.
“Let me use this analogy: Your house is hit by a fire but you really like the upstairs sink. Are you going to be able to rebuild the house around the sink? Or are you going to have to tear the house down completely and perhaps reinstall something?” asks Theron. “Republicans have to go in and level the Affordable Care Act, repeal it. And then start from the ground up on something that is affordable.”
Theron supports expanding personal health saving accounts and encouraging interstate competition as ways to lower health care costs.
He cites the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, announced in 2015, as an example of government regulation stifling economic growth. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes the policy as “strong but achievable standards for power plants and customized goals for states to cut the carbon pollution that is driving climate change.”
“Coal-fired power plants are the cheapest form of electricity,” says Theron. “By making electricity more expensive, that decreases economic growth.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court halted the EPA from implementing the Clean Power Plan until a lower court rules on challenges brought by several state attorneys general, including Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel.
Unlike past campaigns, Theron is dismayed that there haven’t been any opportunities to talk about the issues publicly with his opponent. No debates or forums with the candidates have taken place and none are scheduled.
“I think Tammy Baldwin was much better about being accessible than the current incumbent has been,” says Theron.
However, Caroline Russell, campaign coordinator for Pocan for Congress, says “we have not declined any request to do a joint event with Peter Theron.”
In order to get his message heard by voters, Theron has produced dozens of one-minute radio ads (which are available on his campaign website) that address a host of issues including immigration, the minimum wage and national security.
Theron’s opponent appears to be taking the race in stride. The “In the News” section of Pocan’s campaign website hasn’t been updated since Oct. 2, 2014.
