Dr. Dan Wik of Norfolk is our candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Congressional District 1 and is challenging longtime incumbent Jeff Fortenberry for the seat. Wik entered the race because Fortenberry isn’t the moderate he pretends to be and has cast many votes that are harmful to senior citizens, veterans and women. Even though Fortenberry tries to lead people to believe he is a mainstream conservative who reflects Nebraska values, his record shows that he frequently votes with the most extreme members of his party.
As Dan Wik told me: “Jeff Fortenberry is a rubberstamp Washington, D.C. insider. Fortenberry is doing nothing. Doctors must come up with solutions to be successful.” I had the opportunity to inteview Dr. Wik. I have found him to be a very intelligent, energetic and bright gentleman. He will make an excellent nominee in the race against Fortenberry.
DPC: Please tell us a little about yourself and your family.
DW: I am a physician with a practice that covers six counties in Northeast Nebraska. I’m a pain management expert for my patients to better their lives. My wife Katie is a former Marine who was with the first group of women who served on an aircraft carrier. Katie is a small business owner who runs a Big Apple Bagel restaurant that employs eight people.
DPC: Why did you decide to run for Congress in CD01 against Fortenberry?
DW: Doctors have been advocates for people for a long time. For the last fifteen years, I have lobbied for the A.M.A. for patient rights. I want patients to get good care and access to that care. Mr. Fortenberry is a rubber stamp, Washington D.C. insider. In this election cycle, the voters are frustrated with representatives like Fortenberry because he is doing nothing. I will take action because physicians must come up with solutions to be successful. This will translate into advocacy for all residents of CD01.
DPC: The economy has shown significant progress and improvement since President Obama took office in 2009. We’ve gone from losing 800,000 jobs per month to creating over 200,000 job per month. It’s the best economic performance since Bill Clinton’s second term. What would you do to build on that progress?
DW: We must create a more business friendly environment for American companies to thrive in the U.S. We must simplify and reform the tax code. We should substitute the current 35% top corporate rate with a single rate of 18%. We should also eliminate all of the many loopholes in the corporate tax code. We should revise the individual code to create two rates of 18% and 11%. This will cause the economy to skyrocket and allow business to create more jobs.
We need to re-negotiate NAFTA and TPP and stop U.S. companies from shipping jobs overseas. I would support closing the loopholes in these treaties that destroy American jobs.
DPC: Obama Care has improved several significant aspects of our health care system. The uninsured rate has been reduced from 18% to an all time low of 9% and insurance companies can no longer discriminate against people who are sick or injured. What would you do to improve health care delivery in America?
DW: The problem with the health care system is that companies are for profit first and patients second. I support a universal Medicare system with defined benefits and defined costs. Everybody would pay into universal Medicare – both employees and employers. At the same time, everybody would have the option to buy a supplemental policy from a private health insurance company. I envision a health care system with a combination of universal Medicare and private insurance.
DPC: What is your path to victory?
DW: This is a strange election year where just about anything can happen. The voters are clearly frustrated. I believe that Democratic voters will turnout in record numbers to oppose Donald Trump. At the same time, many of those same Trump voters will vote against a rubber stamp, Washington insider like Fortenberry. These Trump voters will be invited to vote for a fiscal conservative rural Nebraska physician. They will vote for the man and not the brand. We need to win rural votes as well as urban votes. Rural voters will support a physician who is a fiscal conservative who advocates for people.
I believe that in these unsettled times, the voters of Congressional District 1 will be receptive to Wik’s message and realize that it is time to turn out Mr. Fortenberry. The GOP led Congress is one of the worst Congresses in U.S. history and has failed the American people. Unfortunately, Fortenberry is part of the problem.
The voters of Nebraska CD01 are ready for a fresh start in Washington. It’s time for the voters in CD01 to get behind Dan Wik in his effort to end the harmful gridlock and dysfunction in Washington, D.C., which has been created by the radical Republicans like Fortenberry. If you want different results out of Washington, you have to elect different people. Dan Wik can make Nebraska a better place.
