SPOONER, WI -- Jeanne Rand Bruce, an experienced leader in community service and local government, has announced her candidacy for the redrawn 74th Wisconsin State Assembly District.
Bruce made her announcement at meetings of the Washburn County Democratic Party in Spooner and the Sawyer County and Lac Courte Oreilles Democratic Party in Hayward.
The new Assembly District encompasses all of Washburn and Sawyer Counties. It includes the cities of Hayward, Hurley, Mellen, Montreal, Shell Lake and Spooner, and the villages of Birchwood, Butternut, Couderay, Exeland, Mason, Minong, Radisson, Solon Spring, and Winter, as well as most of the Chequamegon National Forest.
A Democrat from Spooner, Bruce recently retired after a successful 30-year career in program and fund development in business, government and the non-profit sector. She has served on the Washburn County Board of Commissioners, Washburn County Health and Human Services Board, Solid Waste Recycling Committee, UW Extension Committee, and boards of the Washburn County Transit Commission, Indianhead Community Action Agency and Wisconsin Rural Housing Foundation. Bruce also served on the staff of Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold.
Experience Working with People to Fix Things
Bruce says her career so far can be described as “experience working with people to fix things.”
She credits her father, who served as a city council and county board member, for teaching her that good government is a shared civic responsibility. “At its best, government provides vital services which positively affect our daily lives – education, healthcare, emergency services. I am excited to work for legislative change that can positively impact the everyday lives of my Up North community.”
As she enters the campaign, Bruce’s priorities are to protect women’s access to reproductive health care, reinvigorate rural health care and preserve fragile northern natural resources. She points to the closure of Sacred Heart Hospital and Prevea Health facilities in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls as “weaknesses in the system” and “critical” to residents of the district.
Bruce said she is excited to explore new ways to expand economic development by showcasing the natural beauty that brings tourists to the area. Eco tourism initiatives that highlight hiking, biking, kayaking and education can bring in tourism dollars with minimal impact on water and wildlife.
“Other economic development issues needing our attention include housing, labor shortages and child care,” Bruce said. ‘It is becoming increasingly hard to attract and keep employees or businesses when we simply don’t have an adequate supply of affordable housing and childcare. The lack of universal access to high-speed internet continues to be a barrier to development in northern counties.”
District Realignment Provides a Good Chance to Win
Bruce said the state’s new legislative district lines approved in 2024 for this fall’s elections played a part in her decision to enter the race for Assembly. “The realignment of District 74 gives Democrats a fair shot at winning back some of these historically Blue areas.”
“Democracy works best when more than one viewpoint is represented,” she said. “It’s never good when only one faction or ideology has total control. The job of state representative is too big for small thinking and narrow viewpoints. We need to listen to concerns from all across our Districts to best serve the people we represent. Working across the aisle is crucial, but more difficult than it was in the past.”
Bruce will be travelling throughout the district this summer and fall to learn about people’s concerns and ideas for the future as well as to enlist support. “Northern Wisconsin is my heart and my home. It is a unique and magical place. I want to showcase the assets and the needs of the 74th in Madison, and remind them that “Up North” reaches a lot further than Wisconsin Dells,” Bruce said.
The election is November 5.
Last Update: Jul 23, 2024 1:05 pm CDT
