Newsmakers: Legislative Democratic Leaders
The Democratic Party’s two new legislative leaders – Sen. Mark Miller, of Monona, and Rep. Peter Barca, of Kenosha – have mourned the historic losses their party suffered on Nov. 2 and are making plans to bring their party back into power in two years. In a Newsmakers taped on Nov. 10, the two new minority-party leaders said critical programs like public schools and health care must be protected when the Legislature passes the 2011-13 budget next year. Miller and Barca said they agree with Republicans that the top priority must be jobs, but voters ignored job-creation programs Democrats passed during the last session of the Legislature. They also said the unpopularity of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle was unfairly used against Democratic candidates before the election.
