Mike Bare

Mike Bare was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Bare graduated from Manitowoc Lincoln High School in 2001. He earned a B.A. in political science in 2005 and an M.A. in political science in 2010, both from American University. His career experience includes working as a researcher and advocate at the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, co-owner of the Biergarten at Olbrich Park, and managing director of the Virginia Sims Bare Family Foundation.[1] [2]He was elected to the Verona City Council in 2013.[1]

Bare has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1][2]

New Leaders Council-Wisconsin

Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

Dane County Housing Authority

Special Olympics of Wisconsin

Verona Parks Commission

Verona Plan Commission

Wisconsin Public Health Association

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mike bare is a public servant, community advocate, and small business owner. He was elected to the State Assembly, District 80, in 2022. In the Assembly, Mike is a recognized progressive champion on issues affecting workers, economic security, people with disabilities, democracy, and the environment. Mike is a former longtime aide to progressive champion U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. Mike previously served on the Dane County Board, was an Alder on Verona City Council, served on Verona’s Plan Commission and chaired Verona’s Parks and Recreation Commission.

From 2010 to 2022, Mike was an advocate for Wisconsin’s low-income population at the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute. Mike worked to solve Wisconsin’s housing crisis, expand health coverage and improve healthcare, advance economic security solutions, improve our criminal justice and corrections systems, and get Wisconsinites out of poverty through work-based solutions.

​In 2017, Mike started a community-focused and family-friendly business: The Biergarten at Olbrich Park. The Biergarten is enjoyed by tens of thousands of families every year, and it has raised a significant amount of money for Madison City parks and community causes.

Mike and his wife met while interning together for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, and now have two young sons and happily reside in the City of Verona. Mike enjoys tending his moderately successful vegetable garden, loves to coach the boys’ baseball teams, and to cook.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We must protect our democracy, restore our rights, and invest in our communities.

Republicans have been far too successful in degrading voters’ confidence in our democracy. I advocate for pro-democracy policies like ballot drop boxes, automatic voter registration, voting by mail, and public financing of campaigns.Too many of our rights—voting, collective bargaining, reproductive health choice, LGBTQ+ rights, and our freedom to assemble free from fear of gun violence—have been taken away or eroded in recent years.We must make investments in our communities, including strong public schools and higher education, housing for everyone, transit options, childcare, Medicaid expansion, and environmental protections.

I am a leader in the State Assembly on legislation to help working people. I introduced bills to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (AB471) that puts more money in workers’ pockets, expand the Homestead Credit (AB458) that helps people pay rent or the mortgage, and create WISEARNS, a state-facilitated retirement savings program for workers whose employers don’t provide it. We have a state budget surplus that could fund these priorities and more.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Disability, health, housing, transit

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I worked the first six years of my career for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. I appreciated his deep devotion to progressive values, which I share. And I model my work ethic after his. He was a prolific legislator, and relentless campaigner. He visited each of Wisconsin's 72 counties every year. Feingold had a backbone and served with full integrity. He was fully committed to having excellent constituent services. And he hired an amazingly talented team, who I also learned from and I am still close with many of them.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the Challenger explosion happening in 1986. I was around three years old. It was shocking and sad for everyone, and was impactful in my household because my mom had been a public school teacher and one of the astronauts who passed away was a teacher.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked two first jobs--I was a clerk at Osco Drug Store (now CVS) and a little league umpire. I did both jobs from age 16 through most of college summers. Being a little league umpire teaches one the patience of a rock and how to handle conflict with poise. I wouldn't trade that experience for any other!

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Gov. Tony Evers, former Gov. Jim Doyle, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, State Senators Dianne Hesselbein, Kelda Roys, Mark Spreitzer, and Melissa Agard. State Reps. Lisa Subeck, Alex Subeck, Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, and more than 20 others. More than 100 elected officials in all. Organizations: Planned parenthood, WEAC, Moms Demand Action, AFSCME, AFT-Wisconsin, IBEW, UAW, WI Pipe Trades, SEIU, WI Conservation Voters, Clean Wisconsin

What committees interest you?

I've served the past two years on the Housing Committee, which is an issue area I have much policy experience with. On that Committee, I worked with the Republican Chair to invest more than half a billion dollars in workforce housing development. I also led efforts to oppose a Republican attempt to defund the state's homeless services and criminalize homelessness. I'd like to continue on that Committee.

For the past year I served on the State Affairs Committee where Republicans send some of the bills most important to them.

I also enjoyed serving on the Parks, Forestry, and Outdoor Recreation Committee. It is one of the committees with an environmental protection mission, which is of interest to me.

I also served on the Insurance Committee, which was relatively inactive.

I'd like to serve on the Health Committee, and the Joint Committee on Finance, which writes the state budget.

State Assembly

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a Progressive Democrat running for State Assembly in Wisconsin's 80th District. I'm a former longtime aide to Russ Feingold, and I am on the Dane County Board. I have the experience to fight for our democracy, our basic rights, including a good and free public education, access to affordable and quality healthcare and housing, and women's rights. I'll also work to protect our environment.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Mike strives for progress on our challenges guided by progressive values: Empathy for Others, Fairness in Processes, Equity in Outcomes, Service to Community, and Devotion to FamilyThe Wisconsin we have today is a result of purposeful choices, and I will be part of making better choices happen. We don’t have to make it difficult to vote, or cause people to be uninsured or homeless.Republicans in the Legislature have been attacking and undermining our democracy and the fabric of what holds us together as a state. I’m ready to fight for the right to vote, to end partisan gerrymandering, and to stop the purposeful spread of disinformation.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Defend Our Democracy

Republicans in the Legislature have been attacking and undermining our democracy and the fabric of what holds us together as a state.

Protect Our Basic Rights:

Public Education

A strong public education in good schools with well-paid educators is the bedrock of our state. Mike's Mom was a public school teacher. Mike will be a champion for educators and students in the State Assembly and actively work to protect and improve our schools.

Healthcare

Everyone has the right to affordable and high-quality healthcare, but not every Wisconsinite has access to it. This is especially true in the rural areas of the 80th District.

Women

Women’s rights, especially the right to choose, get Mike's full and unconditional support.

Housing

Far too many of our neighbors and school children struggle with housing insecurity and bouts of homelessness. Mike is an expert on housing policy and wants Wisconsin to transform how we guarantee everyone has access to affordable, quality, and stable shelter.

Broadband

Every Wisconsinite has a right to access information and virtual tools that are vital to wellbeing, school, business, and social and family connection.

Environment

We must work to ensure our planet will be safe for the next generation and their kids too.

Dane County Supervisors

Mike Bare did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Mike Bare did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.