Katherine Gaulke (D) to challenge Tyler August (R)

As the right hand man of Robin Vos, Rep. August could have helped moved the bipartisan medical marijuana to a public hearing in the Assembly Committee on State Affairs. In fact, in January 2019 he seemed open to supporting a push for a public hearing on the issue among the assembly by saying, “It’s a conversation (re medical marijuana) that I’m not opposed to having, but we need to have that separate of the state budget.”

During the following 12 months of 2019, his fellow Assembly Republicans worked on the issue and prefiled a bill for the 2020 legislative session to create a medical marijuana program in Wisconsin (Assembly Bill 750) which he failed to co-sponsor.

Position on Marijuana Legalization: May 2018: Rep. August replied that no matter what the polls say (77 percent are in favor of medical, 61 percent are in favor of recreational), their constituents are not in favor of either.

Holds office State Assembly District 32. Link to full Scorecard Grade

Democrat Dr. Katherine Gaulke from Elkhorn is a Wife. Mother. Educator. Advocate. Town of Delavan Supervisor.

I did not have to even ask her about her stance on marijuana reform as it was clearly on her website as an important issue.

She also completed the candidate questionnaire and supports Assembly Bill 220 which earned her an A+ rating from NORML.

From her campiagn website:

We spend more on corrections than on the University of Wisconsin System. The financial burden on our criminal justice system for low-level non-violent marijuana possession offenses is unacceptable.
Legalization would free law enforcement up to pursue more serious crimes, help alleviate the societal and financial impact of mass incarceration, and help those in pain get access to much-needed medicine.

While not the main reason for my position, increased revenue via the taxation and regulation of cannabis is a benefit.
While the legalization of cannabis is not a perfect solution to all of Wisconsin’s problems, there is a great deal of promise in its medical applications including reducing the reliance on opioids; along with alleviating the burden on our criminal justice system, generating tax revenue, and giving Wisconsin farmers a new and popular cash crop to grow.
I will follow the will of the people when it comes to decriminalizing and legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis when I am elected to the State Legislature. Counties around the state are putting the issue to a non-binding referendum, which I support.

Find out more about her campaign at https://www.gaulke4assembly.com/ and follow her on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/drkatherinegaulke

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