Harris, Feyen vie to fill 18th Senate District

Each week, The Daily Cardinal will be taking a look at down-ballot races throughout the state. This week, we visit the 18th Senate district, composed of parts of Fond du Lac, Dodge and Winnebago counties.

In the only state Senate district without an incumbent candidate, Republican Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac faces Democrat Mark Harris of Oshkosh in a race for the seat previously held by Sen. Rick Gudex, who died last week after announcing his retirement.

Feyen, a manufacturing professional and legislative newcomer, pitches to voters what he calls a “private-sector mentality,” labeling his opponent a “career politician.” He touts a grassroots-level background in politics, serving as chairman of the Fond du Lac Republican Party since 2004 and the Sixth District Republican Party since 2010.

“I’m not coming from a government side,” Feyen said in an interview with Wisconsin Eye. “I’m always looking for ways to do things better, more economically.”

Harris, Winnebago County Executive since 2005, practiced law and banking in the private sector for 30 years prior to holding public office, but embraces his recent work as a full-time politician.

“It has given me a lot of experience working with government budgets, how to work across the aisle and reach compromise,” Harris told The Daily Cardinal.

Both see addressing the district’s job skills gap as a top priority.

Feyen said he would improve and expand the Wisconsin Fast Forward workforce development program, passed in 2013. The program provides grants for state industrial firms to train employees.

Harris noted he would confront the district’s worker shortage with increased education funding. He says keeping workers in Wisconsin starts with keeping the UW System competitive with other Midwestern schools.

The county executive said he would push for more funding for the UW System in the upcoming budget, calling the recent decline in percentage of higher education costs picked up by the state “unacceptable” and as failing to factor in inflation.

A fifth-year tuition freeze would be okay contingent on increased funding that could make up for revenue losses that a “reasonable” tuition increase would raise, he noted.

Feyen wants to continue the tuition freeze, but is skeptical of the amount of state funding allocated to the UW System. He said he would support the Board of Regents’ proposed amount of $42.5 million in the next budget if they “could prove that they need it.”

While a Harris win would grant Democrats one more seat in Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Senate, the party would still need three more to win a majority.