GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – An announced U.S. Senate candidate responds to criticism that he has not done enough to help Wisconsin veterans.
Republican Kevin Nicholson serves on the Board of Veterans Affairs and disputes claims made in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel piece that he took few visible actions on veterans’ home problems, including not responding to safety concerns that were brought to him.
“In each case, I was able to talk to the DVA to make sure they were on top of any problems, that they weren’t systematic, that all the issues were dealt with, that they were vetted through multiple audits, which in each case this was.”
Nicholson is the first Republican to announce he is vying in 2018 for the seat currently held by Democrat Tammy Baldwin, whom he critcizes for not addressing claims that opiate drugs were being over-prescribed at the Tomah VA Medical Center.
WTAQ’s Jerry Bader Show had Nicholson as a guest Wednesday, asking him about being liberal in his younger years.
Nicholson says the tide started changing in his college years and notes he was drawn further from the Democratic Party during his time in the military, including after taking part in the 2007 surge in Iraq.
“I was livid. I was furious with Barack Obama. I was furious with Hillary Clinton. Because they were running around the country lying about what we had accomplished as part of the surge.”
Nicholson served in the Marines from 2004-2009 and also spent time in Afghanistan.
“(President Obama) announced both a troop uptick and a draw down, with a timeline attached to it, for all the world to see, which is basically a giant intelligence leak. That encouraged the Taliban to keep fighting us and trying to kill us.”
When it comes to healthcare, Nicholson says Obamacare needs to be repealed.
“Lowered premiums, there is a way to do this with conservative ideas. That includes more market forces in healthcare, more consumer choice, greater portability of healthcare dollars, which means giving some of the same tax incentives to you and me that our employers get and allow people to spend money wisely.”
Nicholson says high-risk pools would allow those with pre-existing conditions to be covered.
After seeing five years of Baldwin serving in the Senate, Nicholson believes his fresh perspective is needed in Washington.
“We need outsiders who have real-world experiences. Mine comes from the Marine Corps and comes from business. It comes from having to deliver or else people potentially lose their lives or businesses go under.”
Other Republicans who have been linked to a possible run against Baldwin include State Senator Leah Vukmir, State Representative Dale Kooyenga, and Businessman Eric Hovde.
