Dear Editor,

Given all of the dysfunction going on within our political system, it can be very tempting to opt out of voting. It often seems as though candidates are more concerned with smearing their opponents than they are with presenting their ideas, which can leave one feeling discouraged and uninspired. So it was refreshing to hear the candidate for State Assembly, Leah Spicer, speak about things that matter to us all.

Leah Spicer is young, energetic, and, as a mother of two small children, she is full of concern for the future. She is pro-family in her support for the repeal of the criminal abortion ban, recognizing that family planning is not a matter for the state to decide, but something that each family must determine privately. She supports reasonable concealed carry laws to protect the lives of our children, and she wants to protect our drinking water from PFAS and to clean up existing pollution. She wants to expand Medicaid eligibility and our access to affordable care; she is against gerrymandering, and she supports legalizing recreational marijuana – something that the majority of Americans favor, regardless of which side of the political spectrum they land on.

In one hour, I learned a great deal about Leah Spicer and what she hopes to accomplish as a Wisconsin State Assembly representative, and I am convinced that she is the best candidate for the job. I am impressed by her energy and willingness to have actual conversations with people. When talking with her, I came to believe that she is a person who is deeply passionate about the issues that matter most to everyday people, and I am satisfied that she would be a positive force for change.

Joylynn Graham,

Dodgeville