Rose's Rise in the Race

The Fernandez-Evers Race is a dead heat.

That's right. A toss up.

With four weeks until the election, the citizen-powered campaign to bring a fresh perspective and a sense of urgency to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has tied the establishment candidate.

"The results from the Primary and recent polling prove that our message of reform is resonating," said Rose in a media release issued earlier today. "President Obama agrees with me and supports merit pay for teachers. His education secretary agrees with me on the need for higher academic standards. Yet my opponent continues to resist the reforms. I can only assume his support for the status quo is related to his support from the special interest groups who also resist these common sense reforms."

On Wednesday the MacIver Institute for Public Policy released a poll today that indicated Tony Evers, despite the immense spending on his behalf, has a minuscule lead near the margin of error, making the race a dead heat with four weeks left until the April 7th election.

On Tuesday President Obama outlined his support for merit pay for teachers, a policy Fernandez has been advocating throughout the campaign.

"The great teachers deserve raises, the good teachers deserve incentives to improve and any bad teachers need to be let go," said Rose. "I understand this. President Obama understands this. It is a shame Tony Evers does not get it."

From merit pay, to MPS reform to raising our academic standards, Rose Fernandez has taken the lead in discussing the issues that matter. She is effectively using the Internet as part of her cost-effective campaign to become the state's most vocal and successful advocate for school children. Rose Fernandez has updated and redesigned her campaign website: www.ChangeDPI.com

Her appeal is statewide and crosses party lines. She is supported by Independents, Republicans and Democrats. In the Primary, she won Democratic strongholds like the cities of Milwaukee and Superior; and she won in Republican areas like Waukesha and Washington Counties. All while spending less than 10 percent of what her opponent and his special interest supporters spent.

"The supporters of the status quo merely want to discuss raising taxes to throw more money at schools; however, I believe we need to focus on getting a better return for the money we already spend," said Fernandez. "I am going to continue to bring a fresh perspective and a sense of urgency to deal with these important issues. We can make Wisconsin's good schools great and fix MPS and other trouble spots if we break free from the special interests and work together."

Rose can win this race.

Rose has defied the odds and defeated the special interests and the education establishment before.