Rock County First Releases Its 2023 Spring Election Endorsements

March 16, 2023

Contact Information:
Rock County First, Inc.
Attn: Dan DeFore
rockcountywifirst@gmail.com
608-313-5025

Release Date:
3/16/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rock County First Releases Its 2023 Spring Election Endorsements

Rock County, WI (March 16, 2023) – Ahead of the most important Spring election, Rock County First Political has released its 2023 endorsements of local candidates seeking election. Each candidate  running for local office, across the county, received a letter and questionnaire to complete should they  wish to seek endorsement. RCF is proud to announce the endorsement of the following candidates for  offices throughout Rock County: 

  • Brian Nichols, Beloit School Board Ryan McDonough, Beloit School Board Tracy Hannah, Milton School Board Ed Snow, Milton School Board Heather Miller, Janesville City Council Michael Jackson, Janesville City Council Spencer Zimmerman, Janesville City  Council 
  • Marisa Voelkel, Town of Janesville  Chairman 
  • Jeff Bovee, Town of Newark Board  Supervisor 
  • Kevin Kangas, Town of Newark Board  Supervisor 
  • Thomas Kinkel, Town of Harmony  Board Supervisor 
  • Gary Selck, Village of Footville  President 
  • Kendall Schneider, Town of Union  Chairman 

“In our second year of endorsements, I am thrilled to see the excitement from many candidates in  seeking our endorsement. It’s a true testament to the work we’ve been doing and how far we’ve come  in such a short time,” said Leslie Hubert, Chair of RCF Political Fund and Vice President of Rock  County First, Inc. 

In addition, Rock County First is stepping outside the county boundaries to endorse a candidate for the  Supreme Court race. As the sole focus and mission of RCF is to empower and engage citizens to be  involved in and hold accountable their local officials, the RCF Board of Directors believes the Supreme  Court race will have far reaching consequences for local governments should the wrong candidate win.  Therefore, Rock County First Political endorses Justice Daniel Kelly for the Supreme Court of  Wisconsin. Justice Kelly has a proven record of adhering to the rule of law, interpreting the laws as they  are, and not legislating from the bench. Justice Kelly is the best choice for voters this Spring.  

Election Day is April 4, 2023. Early voting begins March 21. To see our list of endorsed candidates, and  hear our radio ads, and more, visit www.rockcountyfirst.com/voterguide. To find out more information  regarding polling locations, sample ballots, and to register to vote, please visit www.myvote.wi.gov

Rock County First (RCF) is a non-profit organization (501c4) in Rock County, WI whose vision is to  protect liberty and freedom in its local communities by empowering the citizens of Rock County through  education and greater government accountability.  

Paid for by Rock County First Political Fund. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s  committee. 

###

You can also view the press release here.

Other Articles From Our Blog

Planting the Seeds of Leadership

Planting the Seeds of Leadership

For the next several months, you won’t be hearing much about elections, or property tax increases, or any of the other important topics that impact your liberty as a resident of Southern Wisconsin. However, this is not a time to ignore local leadership. It is time to explore it. In Rock County, elected officials on the county board, school boards, city councils, mayors, alderpersons and more shape the lives of over 160,000 residents. Far too often, vital seats on city councils, school boards, and county committees go uncontested—or are filled by the same small circle of people. The time to break those cycles is now. We need to ask ourselves: What kind of civic environment are we creating in Rock County? And are we doing enough to encourage our friends, neighbors, and everyday citizens to step up and serve? For many residents, running for office can feel uncomfortable. They may not know how to begin, worry they lack the right background, or feel shut out by an insider culture. These are barriers we can—and must—remove if we want our local government to truly reflect the residents throughout our county. The first step is transparency and education. Many residents aren’t aware of what county board supervisors, school board members, or city councilors actually do—or how to run for those roles. More educational opportunities need to be explored, created and presented on seeking local offices, because if residents see a path, they’re far more likely to walk it.
Unity and Educational Outcomes

Unity and Educational Outcomes

What is public education and how we should pay for it are questions every resident should be asking themselves. The debate on education funding rages on, fueled by the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling that the Governor’s ‘veto’, which created additional funding of $325 per student annually through property taxes or state aid until the year 2425, is lawful. Yet support for public education in its current form is far from solid. A recent study shows that 68% of likely Wisconsin voters support school choice programs. It is a mathematical certainty that two systems will cost more to maintain than one. It is far past time that instead of just talking about dollars, a conversation is had about the erosion of support of public education.
YDF Grant Encourages Greater Civic Engagement by Local Youth

YDF Grant Encourages Greater Civic Engagement by Local Youth

On April 7th, the RCF Youth Development Fund awarded a grant to the Milton High School civics class. The grant assisted with the cost of transporting high school students to the WI State Capitol where they were able to learn more about their Capitol and state government; as well as, hear directly from state legislators explain the importance of civic engagement. In the grant approval letter, the RCF board included the following: "The objective of the RCF Youth Development Fund is to encourage and help facilitate Rock County students to actively engage in American citizenship by focusing on local civics. We achieve this objective by working and collaborating with student councils and/or Social Studies/Government education classes in K-12 schools across Rock County; along with local business leaders and local elected officials."