U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir visited the Marquette University College Republicans student organization Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. in Cudahy Hall to promote her campaign and meet with students.
Vukmir received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marquette and said she felt thrilled to be back at her alma mater to talk to the group.
“I learned here (at Marquette) to value life and to protect life and to solve … problems,” Vukmir said.
She has been traveling to college campuses around Wisconsin to promote awareness for her campaign for months, she said.
“I have been encouraged by the amount of activity and excitement about having a woman run as a conservative,” Vukmir said.
Vukmir said federal student loans are getting out of hand in Washington, D.C., and that student loans are causing a lot of issues for students coming out of college.
“I am concerned about the fact that the government is in the loan business, and it’s causing a lot of problems for students coming out,” Vukmir said. “We have to continue to grow the economy which is really going to make a difference so kids can get out of college and actually have good paying jobs.”
Vukmir spoke about her plans for healthcare, rebuking the claim from her opponent, incumbent Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, that Vukmir believes companies should get rid of coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
“I would fall in front of a truck before I would let people go without coverage for pre-existing conditions,” Vukmir said.
Cierra Ramusack, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and member of MUCR, said she supports Vukmir in her campaign because of her devotion to the state of Wisconsin.
“I support Leah (because) I think she’s bringing a new initiative to Washington,” Ramusack said.
Steven Beugnet, a freshman in the College of Nursing and member of MUCR, said he is especially excited about her initiative to help support veterans through her views on healthcare.
“I agree that veterans definitely … don’t need to be subject to one kind of healthcare,” Beugnet said. “They need to pick their doctors.”
According to her campaign website, Vukmir is an advocate for incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s signature Act 10 legislation, otherwise known as the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. The bill was created to address Wisconsin’s projected $3.6 billion budget deficit.
“I think she’s on the same side as Scott Walker,” Ramusack said. “I like his initiative to keep (young people in Wisconsin) and give us the tax credits.”
Walker’s son Matt, a Marquette alumnus, also made an appearance and talked about his dad’s successes as governor and current re-election campaign, and said that young Republicans should work to help Vukmir and Walker’s campaigns.
Vukmir emphasized the importance of young people being involved in politics, commending MUCR students for being politically active.
“She’s going to help us have a voice,” Beugnet said.
