Update on 53rd Assembly Candidates

As of 2/10/08, candidates for the open 53rd Assembly seat vacated by Rep Owens include the following:

• Cecil A Streeter (R)
• Mike Hatch (R)
• James M. Chitwood (R)
• Dick Spanbauer (R)

The Fond du Lac Reporter is reporting that the lone Democratic Candidate Timothy Blake is stepping out of the race.

We previously included information on Cecil Streeter here, and on Mike Hatch here. Cecil Streeter now has his campaign website up: http://www.streeterforassembly.com/.

James Chitwood:

• UW Oshkosh Dean of Students
• chitwood@uwosh.edu
• jimchitwood@charter.net
• (920) 235-2441
• 5024 County Road R, Oshkosh, WI
• Has served as Asst District Governor for Southwest Rotary in Oshkosh
• BA and MS from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in sociology education and counseling respectively. (source)
• Received his PhD from the University of Northern Colorado in College Student Personnel Administration. (source)
• Former UW Oshkosh Resident Life Director, and 2007 winner of the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International’s Parthenon Society Award.

Picture of Chitwood from http://www.uwosh.edu/news/?p=315

According to the Oshkosh Northwestern, "Chitwood served three terms on the school board from 1989 to 1998. He is a member of the Black Wolf town planning and zoning committee, a board member of the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center, Inc. and a member of the Oshkosh Southwest Rotary Club."

Dick Spanbauer is a 2-time challenger to Carol Owens, and has served for many years as the chairman and board supervisor of the Town of Algoma. Dick is likely the leading contender at this point.

• Realtor-Agent with The Premier Group
• 3040 Sheldon Drive, Oshkosh
• rspanbauer@townofalgoma.org
• 233-2656
• has been a contributing member to the Winnebago Lakes Council
• was endorsed by the Winnebago County Labor Council in 2006

Surprisingly, very little is readily available on-line regarding Spanbauer's positions. We'll see in the future if we can't track down some candidate surveys or similar information.

According to Democrat and Winnebago County Board Supervisor Mike Norton, Spanbauer "has a great deal of local government experience who understands the impact of what Madison does has on county, city, and town government. He also been a member of a local union in the past and understands what both what the farmer and working person has to go through to make a living and better life for themselves and their families."

According to the Fond du Lac Reporter: "Spanbauer supports bringing out-of-state businesses to Wisconsin, making health care coverage more available and affordable for small businesses, farm families and low-income families, protecting the citizen's right to bear arms and pro-life issues and family values."

picture of Spanbauer from here.