Jamie Wall, Democratic candidate for Senate District 30, says that he is running to “protect and improve our public schools.” Wall was the first in his family to attend college and was the first University of Wisconsin student in a generation to win a Rhodes Scholarship.

According to his campaign website, “Jamie had a chance to get off to a good start in life because of a quality, affordable education in Wisconsin public schools and the University of Wisconsin. He believes that all our kids today deserve the same chance.”

Wall says he “supports our public schools, technical colleges, and universities, which have seen funding lag inflation at a time of record state surpluses” and wants to “ensure our education dollars are spent efficiently and all our schools deliver a quality education to their students.”

Wall has been endorsed by the Wisconsin Education Association Council. 

The Republican candidate in Senate District 30 is Jim Rafter. According to his campaign website, Rafter says he “will champion appropriate state funding for schools across the state so they have the resources necessary for the success of our children.” However, it is not clear whether he is referring to state funding for public schools or for private school vouchers. This is a critical distinction, as Wisconsin has expanded funding for private schools through vouchers, diverting funds away from public schools. 

If elected, Rafter would join the Republican State Senate delegation, the vast majority of whom voted for SB 330, a massive school voucher funding bill.