By Joe Morey
News Editor
Ho Chunk Tribal Member Tricia Zunker, who is seeking to become the first Native American to be elected to Congress from Wisconsin, will be holding a meet and greet at Lac Courte Oreilles on Monday, Dec. 16, at the LCO Ojibwe College.
Zunker is running as a democrat to fill the seat representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, the seat recently vacated by Sean Duffy of Hayward. The primary election is scheduled for Feb. 18 and the general election will be held on May 12, 2020.
Zunker plans to do an interview on WOJB 88.9 FM during the 8 am to 9 am morning session. From 9:10 am to 10:15 am she will be at the LCO Ojibwe College for the Government Programs, Students and Educators Meet and Greet in the Cultural Heritage Center.
Following the Meet and Greet at LCO, Zunker will hold another Meet and Greet in Hayward at the Vet Center on Main Street at 10:30 am.
These events are open to the public.
According to Zunker’s website, triciaforwisconsin.com, she is the first in her family to graduate from college. Tricia went on to law school and became a practicing attorney and law professor.
“In 2013, she was elected by her People, the Ho-Chunk Nation, to serve as Associate Justice of the Ho-Chunk Supreme Court. She was re-elected to that position in 2017.
“In 2018, Tricia was elected to the Wausau School Board and currently serves as board president. On the school board, she works hard to ensure that all children receive a good education, regardless of background, economic status, or family circumstances. She is also an advocate for policies that improve staff morale and treat teachers like the professionals they are,” States her website.
According to a Wisconsin Public Radio article, “Zunker would be the first Native American woman to run for Congress in Wisconsin since Ada Deer, a Menominee woman who ran in 1992 in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Madison. Deer lost to Republican Scott Klug, but went on to become the first Native American woman to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs during President Bill Clinton administration. No one of Native American ancestry has ever been elected to Congress in Wisconsin.”
The same article also states, “Zunker said she takes inspiration from U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland, two Native American women elected to Congress in 2018. They are from Kansas and New Mexico, respectively.”
Tricia Zunker lives in Wausau with her son Timothy and their rescue dog, Diesel. Photo courtesy of Tricia Zunker