Thread by @patrickdmarley

I will be tweeting the second debate between @BradSchimel and @JoshKaulWI in the race for attorney general.

Schimel (R) is running for a second term. Kaul (D) is the son of former AG Peg Lautenschlager and is making his first run for the job.

It will be broadcast live starting in a minute or two on @WISN12News.

wisn.com/nowcast

And I will have a story on it afterward at jsonline.com.

The debate is being held at Marquette University Law School and is moderated by @MikeGousha.

"I think people don't pay attention to it because it's not very political," Schimel says when Gousha notes few voters know about either candidate.

"We'll be up on TV soon," Kaul says, when Gousha notes 81% of voters don't have an opinion of Kaul because they don't know who he is.

Kaul hits Schimel out of the gate for his lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act / Obamacare.

Kaul gives his background, growing up in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. Says his family was involved in public service (stepdad was a cop, mom was an AG and state legislator).

Schimel (R): "I have more elected Democrat sheriffs and district attorneys supporting me than my opponent. Far more."

Schimel touts his support from law enforcement unions as well.

Schimel says he can only find 25 criminal cases Kaul handled, vs. 16,000 for himself.

"We're leading the nation" in approach to opioids, Schimel says.

Gousha notes opioid deaths are up dramatically.

Schimel says he's started a drug take-back program to help address the issue. Touts the "Dose of Reality" public awareness campaign.

"The increase in deaths, that's true nationwide," Schimel says.

Kaul disagrees, says the problem is worse in Wisconsin than elsewhere.

Kaul says there are four things that needed to be done on opioids.

1. Target large drug operations.
2. Expand access to treatment.
3. Hold pharmaceutical companies accountable.
4. Expand Medicaid under Obamacare, which he says would make treatment more available.

Schimel is skeptical of expanding Medicaid under Obamacare as something DOJ should advocate for.

Schimel says Kaul has talking points, not plans.

Schimel hasn't sued pharmaceutical companies over opioids. Instead, he's involved in a multi-state investigation, which he says is more effective.

"It has a lot of the earmarks of a lawsuit," he says of the investigation.

Kaul argues a lawsuit would be more effective, criticizes Schimel for taking donations from pharmaceutical political action committees.

On meth, Schimel says he put three prosecutors in North Woods to help put together cases. He says he's worked to dismantle labs, drawn public awareness to the problem.

Kaul says the meth problem has "exploded" under Schimel. Says more enforcement and more treatment is needed.

Kaul says he wants to move resources out of the solicitor general's office and into criminal prosecution.

Kaul on school shootings, criticizes Schimel for his openness to arming teachers and his opposition to gun-free zones. He calls for universal background checks.

Issues like universal background checks are matters for the Legislature, Schimel says.

Schimel says he prepared the $100 million school safety plan that the Legislature passed this year.

Schimel says arming teachers should be up to local school distircts.

"Let them make that decision," he says.

Kaul says teachers shouldn't be armed. "It introduces a danger that is not there now," he says.

Schimel says Kaul doesn't understand the issue of the delays in testing rape kits. Says there was no capacity to test the backlog because kits were being submitted nationwide at the same time.

"We got this 25-year problem done in three years," Schimel says, says the kits were tested faster than planned.

Kaul says the state received millions of dollars to test the kits but after two years, just nine were test.

"There's been a delay in getting justice for survivors of sexual assault," Kaul says.

Schimel says Wisconsin is ahead of other states. "In Washington (state), they're nowhere on this," Schimel says.

Schimel says Wisconsin DOJ had the best year ever in recovering funds from companies for environmental issues.

Kaul: "They are doing things differently. They're not holding polluters accountable when they break the law."

"This kind of sue first, ask questions later should make every employer and every worker frightened," Schimel says of Kaul. "That is not a level playing field."

Kaul says Schimel is putting special interests in front of the interests of Wisconsinites.

"The obamacare system has been a series of broken promises," Schimel says.

"It's not working. It's failing. This is a decision that should be made by Wisconsin," Schimel says of the Affordable Care Act.

Schimel says everyone running for the Legislature wants to make sure pre-existing conditions are covered. Discounts Kaul's claim that his lawsuit would end such coverage.

"This is a fake argument," Schimel says.

Kaul says Schimel's lawsuit is weak but it would be devastating to everyday people if successful.

Kaul is an attorney challenging Wisconsin's voter ID law and other election laws (on, for example, early voting).

"I'm proud of that case," Kaul says.

But he adds it was appropriate for Schimel to defend those laws.

Kaul says he would recuse himself from the case, would put his deputy AG in charge of it.

Schimel notes that would put a political appointee in charge of the case.

"They're not going to differ from you," Schimel says.

Kaul slams Schimel for his defense of Wisconsin's special elections law.

(Schimel sided with Gov. @ScottWalker and tried to block special elections this year. The elections were held after Walker and Schimel lost in court.)

Kaul says about 100 people tried to get free voter IDs and were unable to, even though they were eligible.

Schimel says he worked on a plan to make sure that the DMV gives people an ID to vote if it can't prove people are not eligible to vote. The burden is on the state under that plan, he said.

Schimel says as Waukesha County DA, he heard anecdotes about illegal voting that could not be proved.

"If one person votes improperly, then they've watered down" others' votes, he says.

On Foxconn, Schimel says the AG must represent the state. If the contract is breached, then the state might have to take action, he says.

Kaul says he generally agrees with that sentiment, but says DOJ should be a watchdog.

On clergy abuse in the Catholic Church:

Schimel says he handles some cases as Waukesha County DA, but the cases were beyond the statute of limitations. "I don't indict by headline," he says.

Kaul says AG should review credible allegations if there are any.

Kaul says Pennsylvania "is not a case of investigation by headline."

"I think the approach we take shouldn't be focused on numbers," Kaul says of prison reform.

Kaul says the state should expand community policing and community prosecution.

Schimel says the state should have taken a different approach with some offenders. The state should have dealt with some problems on the front end, he says.

"Locking them up doesn't change the underlying behavior," he says.

"We don't have people in prison for simple possession of marijuana," Schimel says. Says that's the right approach. Says should not legalize marijuana.

Kaul calls for legalizing medical marijuana.

Schimel in closing statement says he's lived his entire life in Wisconsin, says Kaul has lived here for only four years of his adult life.

He says he has fulfilled promises, argues Kaul has not given any specific plans.

"We've delivered results," he says.

Kaul says he's running because he wants a state that is "safer and stronger" than the one we are on track for.

Says state needs to treat opioid epidemic like a crisis, has to do more on sexual assault, must protect environment.

That concludes their second debate. They'll debate one more time, on Tuesday.