Bipartisanship and the 8th District race

APPLETON - Congressman Reid Ribble got a couple endorsements this week, thanks to his apparent ability to work with both Republicans and Democrats.

Ribble is running for re-election against Democrat Jamie Wall for the 8th district congressional seat.

So is "non-partisan" a campaign buzz word or a real selling point?      

Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna says he doesn't take endorsing a candidate lightly.

"People who are willing to sit down and listen and try to find a solution, you have to support those people," said Hanna.
 
Hanna says that's what he is doing by supporting Reid Ribble for Congress. The office of the mayor is a non-partisan elected position and Hanna, who has also endorsed Democrats for political offices in the past, says politics are always local.

"The kinds of issues we deal with at the local level, they are not partisan issues."

Ribble also received an endorsement from the non-partisan group "No Labels," which works to bring legislators on both sides of the isle together on issues facing the country.

In a FOX 11 Fact Check, Reid Ribble co-sponsored a bill known as the "CHEATS Act" with Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. The bill stops unfair trade practices by China in the paper industry, vital to our area.

Ribble also helped insert an exception in the federal highway funding bill to help fund public transportation like Valley Transit and also worked on bi-partisan legislation on the No Budget No Pay Act which will withhold pay for members of Congress if a federal budget isn't passed by October 1, of each year.

"Having a group like No Labels or Mayor Hanna endorsing me is a recognition of what I've been doing over the past several years," said Ribble.

But Ribble's opponent Jamie Wall says he doesn't think the Republican is as non-partisan as he claims.

"You have to look at the difference between what he says here at home and how he votes in Washington, in politics what you do is a heck of a lot more important that what you say," said Wall.

What Wall says he will do is fight for what he believes is best for the district.

"I've taken stances that have put me at odds with my party so I guess you can judge me by that."

It's an endorsement up to voters to make at the polls in November.