Sensenbrenner Dodges Debate

  For Immediate Release October 18, 2016 Contact: [email protected]

Sensenbrenner Dodges Debate

Today marks six weeks since thirty-eight-year incumbent Jim Sensenbrenner was challenged to a series of debates by Khary Penebaker, his Democratic opponent.  The challenge was delivered by certified mail via the US Post Office and announced online. No response has been received from Jim Sensenbrenner by email, telephone message, text, mailed letter, social media post or any other known form of communication.  Mr. Penebaker did not ascribe any specific motive to the failure to respond, but noted that there is “a long Congressional tradition of laziness” and “a new Congressional fad of ignorance.” Khary Penebaker also refused the possibility that his opponent was trying to distance himself from other Republican candidates. “The Congressman has already shown that he is not afraid to defend Donald Trump’s values. “The people of Southeastern Wisconsin deserve honesty and hard work from their Congressman, even if he is a nineteen-term incumbent. Congressman Sensenbrenner’s refusal to defend his political values in debate insults citizens who have voted for him for decades, abandons the people who are concerned at the sudden transformation of the National Republican Party, and sets a poor example for students everywhere,” said the Democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives for Wisconsin’s 5th District. Khary Penebaker believes that voters deserve to know how their next Representative will stand on the issues that affect them such as:

1. Creating good paying jobs for veterans
2. Mental health care
3. Domestic violence reduction
4. College affordability
5. Student loan interest rate controls
6. Ensuring opportunities for new four-year and technical college graduates
7. Maintaining safer communities
8. Common sense gun reform
9. Tax incentives for businesses to grow and expand
10. Healthcare and the Affordable Care Act
11. National security spending
12. Homeland security spending
13. Drinking water quality
14. Preserving parklands for future generations
15. Child health and wellness programs
16. Quality funding for high performing schools
17. Standards for academics and student learning
18. Technology improvements in the classroom
19. Women’s health and wellness
20. Protecting Social Security
21. Affordable prescription drugs for seniors
22. Tax relief for middle class taxpayers
23. Investing in roads, bridges and highway infrastructure projects
24. Enhanced university research and development funding
25. Improving response times to public concerns

Democracy is not served when our elected officials hide their views from the public.

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Last updated: March 18, 2026