WISCONSINREPORT.COM (10/09/2010) - The supporters of both sides in the race for the Wisconsin U.S. Senator seat currently held by Russ Feingold (D-WI) are out spinning each other in the aftermath of the first debate held Friday night. Feingold advisor John Kraus says his candidate understands the state and its challenges, while Republican Ron Johnson spokespeople say Johnson is the one who showed he is the clear choice to move the country in the right direction.

"Senator Feingold showed Wisconsin voters tonight that he understands this state and the challenges people face," stated Feingold senior advisor John Kraus.

"When Wisconsinites are concerned about their jobs, they deserve to have a U.S. Senator who will not only fight to protect and create jobs but someone who is up to the job. Russ Feingold is and Ron Johnson proved he isn’t," according to Kraus.

"Ron Johnson has been hiding from debates, hiding from the media, and hiding from voters. Tonight Johnson hid behind scripted talking points and failed to offer any real solutions to create jobs and reduce the deficit," Kraus pointed out.

"On issue after issue, Johnson showed that he would put his own partisan politics and corporate special interests ahead of people and moving our economy forward," Kraus added.

Russ doesn’t just talk the talk on wasteful, Washington spending," Kraus went on. "He has walked the walk. He has proposed real spending cuts and worked with both parties to reduce our deficit."

"Ron Johnson showed he doesn't have the backbone to cut spending and was afraid to offer any specific spending cuts," Feingold's senior advisor suggested.

"Russ took on the insurance companies and won, and Ron Johnson would turn back the clock and put insurance companies back in control of people’s health care, allowing them to deny families coverage, raise their premiums and increase out of pocket costs for seniors," according to Kraus.

"Russ has opposed unfair trade deals that have outsourced Wisconsin jobs to other countries and Johnson showed tonight that he just doesn’t get when it comes to Wisconsin jobs and our economy," Kraus said.

"Johnson continued to defend his belief that that shipping our jobs overseas is “creative destruction” and has been "successful" for our economy," Kraus continued.

"When times are tough, Wisconsin people want someone who is going to be a voice for them in Washington, who is on their side and who is fighting for them. Russ Feingold has a strong record of doing that and Ron Johnson won’t," Kraus said.

Friday night's debate was the first of three debates between U.S. Senate Candidate and Manufacturer Ron Johnson and U.S. Senator Russ Feingold.

A spokesperson for the Ron Johnson campaign said the debate "showed the voters of Wisconsin that Ron Johnson is the clear choice to move our country in the right direction."

The campaign spokesperson suggested that "Johnson, a first-time candidate, spoke to the voters about the important issues our country faces and emerged as the candidate with the right experience and ideas to help create jobs, stop spending and improve our economy."

"Tonight's debate was an important opportunity to highlight my record of growing a business and creating jobs," Ron Johnson said.

"Senator Feingold promised to be a deficit hawk and a maverick, but after spending our nation into trillions of dollars of debt and providing the deciding vote for a government takeover of health care, Wisconsin could have really used a maverick," candidate Ron Johnson said.

"Wisconsin needs a candidate who will go to Washington and stand up for the people, not the party bosses and special interests," said Johnson. "We need to put a stop to the reckless spending and put our economy back on track."

"Tonight I laid on my case to the voters as to how I plan to do just that and hope that they see that I am the common sense candidate who will work hard for them every day," Ron Johnson said.

The second debate will be held Monday, October 11 in Wausau.

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