Democratic candidate Brett Hulsey beat his Green Party opponent Ben Manski in the 77th Assembly District race Tuesday with a campaign focused on education and environmental issues.
""The lakes are the university's backyards,"" Hulsey said. ""So one of my goals in the campaign was to increase funding for lake cleanup, manure digesters, storm-sewer cleanup and safer beaches.""
Hulsey received 49 percent of the vote to Manski's 31 percent, while Republican candidate David Redick trailed with 19 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Hulsey attributed the victory to ""real plans on protecting UW"" while noting that it ""helps a lot being a Democrat."" Manski blamed his defeat on ""straight-party voting.""
""We had an incredible movement that began with this campaign, and there were a lot of really important connections that were made in the course of it,"" Manski said. ""And among those voters who actually designated a candidate, I won.""
In addition to fighting for environmental issues, Hulsey promised to help UW by eliminating furlough days, restoring the pay raises and controlling tuition increases.
Hulsey admitted that enacting his campaign promises into law would prove challenging being ""the new guy on the block"" in a Republican controlled Assembly, but trumpeted that his experience with the Sierra Club during the 1994 Republican takeover would help.
""We have to be very strategic"" Hulsey said. ""There's going to be huge attacks on UW-Madison, starting tomorrow.""
