1990 General Election for Governor – Thompson & Loftus
The WBA Foundation Debate Series debuted with this debate, making it the first political debate broadcast live throughout Wisconsin. Tommy Thompson, a Republican, was seeking his second term as governor when he faced challenger Tom Loftus, a Democrat and the speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, on October 6, 1990, at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Ninety stations carried the debate, giving 500,000 viewers and listeners statewide a chance to hear the candidates exchange opposing views on property taxes, mining in state parks, aid for Milwaukee’s inner-city residents, and more.
