LTE: 'Why I Am Voting Quinn and Why You Should Too'

Letter-to-the-Editor

by Cody Stauner

Why I Am Voting Quinn and Why You Should Too

During this election campaign I have noticed many people who are attempting to miss characterize Representative Romaine Quinn and I wanted to take a moment to address those who are, not by attacking them or their candidate choice, but by explaining my personal experience with Representative Quinn so that he may be viewed in the light that he deserves.

First, let me introduce myself. I am Cody Stauner, a retired U.S. Marine, former police officer, and current employee at a hospital. I have spent my life in careers serving people unselfishly and surrounded by men and women who possess high moral character and values.  When I am placing a vote those are the top two qualities I look for in a candidate and that is why I believe Representative Romaine Quinn needs to continue to be the voice for our district.

I have known Romaine now for about 4 years and gotten to know him very well on a personal level. Here is what I’ve heard and read about him; “He is arrogant and selfish”, “He sounds like a spoiled kid”, “He doesn’t seem to know a lot about ecological issues”, and finally “He doesn’t seem to support the LGBT community.” Let me tell you that people who say these things don’t know Representative Quinn.

Romaine Quinn is one of the most humble guys I’ve gotten to know. He genuinely doesn’t build himself up to be anything more than he is and he is always open to conversation with anyone wanting to talk. I’ve never heard him take personal credit for anything he has done, instead he chooses to give credit to others and fully believes in the “we are all one team” mentality. He has always given credit where it is due.

He is definitely NOT spoiled. He didn’t come from money and sure wasn’t handed anything. Knowing his families background more than most people, I can tell you that it is truly remarkable where he has taken his career and life to. He had no head start in life and has had to roll up his sleeves and work hard long hours, sacrificing so much more than any other 18-25 year old I’ve ever witnessed in order to get where he is now. Because of that, I believe he honestly understands the common working man and the struggles and sacrifices required to make a life for a family. For people who think he is spoiled and thinks he makes a lot of money, please google it. As a state representative his salary is public knowledge and frankly he makes less than most college graduates working in their respective fields today. I know the vast majority of us would not put up with the requirements of his chosen profession and the unique aspect of being scrutinized and slandered on a daily basis by the uninformed for such little pay, and he handles it with more professionalism and grace than most people do in their careers where they aren’t being personally attacked.

He genuinely tries to help people, and did so in my time of need.  When the tornado went through Chetek, my house and property were hit bad. I was a full time officer in Chetek at that time and I was very busy helping every one of my neighbors as I live near the trailer park that was destroyed. Since I was helping everyone else I did not have time to work on my own property and Romaine was aware of that. He cancelled his meetings in Madison and came over on his own time without me asking for his help with chainsaw in hand and a pair of gloves. He spent the next few days at my house cutting the trees that had fallen and clearing brush. There were no cameras, no media, no personal gain to be had, just a desire to help someone in need. Sadly, all I could give him for his time and efforts was a truly heartfelt “thank you” for all his work that went unseen by others. As if that wasn’t enough he also allowed me to shower at his home as I did not have power at my house for almost a week.

He is extremely ecologically informed. I have witnessed him discussing eco related issues with others and have had a couple conversations with him about it myself. I consider myself quite informed on eco subjects affecting our area and there were times that I found him talking about things that I didn’t even consider or things that I had a hard time completely understanding. As an individual who loves living out in the country side for the beauty and the wildlife I can assure you that he would never support anything that could diminish or even destroy the beauty that our land offers.

Finally, when it comes to equality for all humans I can say with certainty that Romaine Quinn believes that all people, no matter their creed, sex, race, or sexual orientation should be all be allowed the same opportunity for happiness and success in life. He harbors no ill will or feeling towards anyone regardless of their personal preferences, even if they don’t align with his.

In closing, if you don’t want to vote for Romaine Quinn because you believe someone else better fits your views then by all means vote for them, that’s one of the beautiful things about living in the U.S., freedom of choice. Just don’t go around spreading slanderous comments about a man whom you may not know who is trying to do the right thing for the people he represents.  If you are undecided about who to vote for I hope that this letter helps you in making your decision. You won’t find a more humble, honest, hardworking, knowledgeable, unselfish, and helpful human being to be your voice in Madison than Representative Romaine Quinn. On election day I know how I’ll be voting, win with Quinn.

Authorized and Paid for by Quinn for Assembly

About the Candidate

Romaine Robert Quinn is a lifelong resident of the 75th Assembly District. If you'd like to know more about Romaine and his campaign, check out his official website, facebook page, or email him directly at quinnforassembly@gmail.com.