Incumbent State Sen. Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa) is the target of a recent advertisement by challenger Bonnie Lee.
The ad touts Lee’s support in the local law enforcement community in the wake of rioting in Wauwatosa. Lee has lived in Wauwatosa for 25 years.
“While Wauwatosa was on the brink of complete chaos, Robyn Vining was silent on supporting law enforcement and maintaining order in our local neighborhood,” a narrator’s voice says over images of rioting in the community.
Back in August, in the immediate wake of the Kenosha riots, Vining called for police reform.
Rioting hit home in Wauwatosa last week as bands of vandals smashed windows in residential neighborhoods. Meanwhile, critics called out Vining for her absence.
Rioters were also caught on video smashing the windows out of a nonprofit organization.
Lee issued a press release anticipating protests and calling for peace. She also posted a video to Facebook immediately after the riots, calling for support in the community and for law enforcement.
“I am saddened by the treatment our officers are receiving as they risk their lives to keep us all safe and the rights of protestors to peacefully protest,” Lee said in the video. “This violence must end and constructive dialogue must begin.”
In contrast, Vining issued a more tepid statement.
“We reject violence in all forms,” Vining said in a press release. “We condemn destruction of human life and property. And we cling to one another with shared hope.”
Democrats across the country have been under pressure to accept the terms of the Black Lives Matter Movement and are increasingly in tricky political terrain when protests turn into riots.
Some critics have said Democrats by and large have chosen to “ignore” rioters as a matter of political convenience.
The 14th State Assembly District is a battleground and has been a historic GOP stronghold. Former Gov. Scott Walker formerly represented the district.
Vining narrowly squeaked by in the election in 2018 winning with a 153-vote majority only after an error was discovered.
The National Guard recently wrapped up its presence in the Wauwatosa.
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