Posted: 1:41 PM May 16, 2012
Reporter: Aaron Dimick

Dexter, Moulton face off in recall candidate forum

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -- With a little less than three weeks to go until the Wisconsin recall election, the candidates in the 23rd State Senate District Recall had their first showdown Wednesday, talking about hot button issues like job loss and the recall which has divided the state.

Republican State Senator Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls is one of four state senators being recalled.

He’s being challenged by Democrat Kristen Dexter of the town of Washington.

The recall candidates forum was put on by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce at the Holiday Inn in Eau Claire.

While both of them called for civility in Wisconsin politics, the discussion didn’t go off without a few sparks.

It wasn’t officially a debate, but Dexter and Moulton had to answer to local leaders in government and business.

And the topic that nearly dominated the discussion was jobs.

“Investments are what makes families strong and what makes communities strong because together that's what makes the economy strong,” Dexter said.

“You can not refute that we've put the state in the best financial shape it's been in 15 years. Once these recalls are over with and we stay in office, I think you'll see a job explosion in this state,” Sen. Moulton said.

The budget cuts of the last year were also a frequent topic.

Dexter said budget cuts to education, corrections and Medicaid were made too quickly before looking at other options.

Moulton said he disagreed with that.

“If you don't cut in those areas, you don't have enough anywhere else to cut. I think overall most of the cuts were in that 5 to 8 percent range across the board,” Moulton said.

Dexter said she believes there should have been more of a shared sacrifice among all levels of taxpayers.

“I think this budget falls more heavily on the backs of moderate income families and in other words, asks them to do more,” Dexter said.

In his closing statement, Moulton became visibly upset when he talked about how the recall has brought on threats of violence to himself, his family and his business.

“This should not be happening. This recall is about one thing and one thing only, the public employee unions that want to maintain their stranglehold on the Wisconsin taxpayer,” Moulton said.

Dexter said other side of that argument is the special interests who are supporting Moulton’s recall run.

“If you're going to complain about union bosses on one hand, then you have to complain about the lobbyists that are funneling money into Terry Moulton's campaign,” Dexter said.

Both candidates said they will be in full campaign mode until the June 5 recall election.

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