SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- If Tuesday’s general election on April 7 is postponed, Milwaukee County citizens will know by June 9 who their next County Executive will be.  The candidates are both Democrats: Representative David Crowley and State Senator Chris Larson.  

Larson spoke with  Spectrum News Reporter Megan Carpenter about running during a global health crisis.  He says he and his campaign team had to adjust.

“We’re making as many phone calls as we can, we’re doing text messages, we are trying to do things virtually, trying to fundraise,” he says.  “Me and my wife are now homeschooling our kids, five and seven years old so that’s part of our routine now.”

Larson has been in public office for 12 years.  He has been a State Senator for 9 of them.  He. Says his political platform has always remained the same.

“Protecting our parks and making sure none of them are subject to sale and making sure they’ll continue to be open, getting dedicated funding for transit, ending family homelessness, making sure we’re taking care of our seniors and the Department on Aging is secure,” Larson says.

The State Senator says many of those key issues will look different, due to the response to COVID 19 being the state’s and the county’s top priority.

“Making sure the elderly are getting their meals and they’re doing wellness checks from the Department of Aging,” Larson says.  “Making sure the homeless have a place to shelter in place because if you don’t have a shelter, you can’t shelter in place.”

Larson also discusses the need for adequate PPE for our healthcare workers and the need for widespread testing availability.

“Coordinating the 11 health departments in the county and making sure they have the personal protective equipment that’s needed,” Larson says.  “Making sure there’s clarity that people are going to get testing and when that’s going to happen.”

He adds that addressing the looming economic crisis that’s to come is essential as well.

“Lobbying at the federal level to make sure the county gets funds and making sure each of our neighbors get funds, so that if a person had a job before this, making sure they still have a job once the economy comes out of a coma,” Larson says.

His campaign sent a statement, in response to Governor Evers suspending in-person voting on April 7.  It says, in part:

“For weeks, I have championed changes to open up access to the ballot box, including sending an absentee ballot to each registered voter as well as extending the deadline for when those ballots will be accepted.  We will stay tuned to the latest developments as the situation evolves and will encourage voters to exercise caution as they head to the polls on election day, whether that be April 7 or June 9."