A northeastern Wisconsinite declared his intentions to run against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in a likely summer recall election, joining a growing field of other Democratic candidates. 

Bruce Berman, a former supervisor on the Marinette County Board and a contract truck driver, announced Friday he plans to run against Kleefisch. He said he brings the background and the experience to complement any of the candidates running for office.

“Most of the candidates running are coming from Milwaukee and Madison,” Berman said. “Wisconsin is too diverse, and we need more candidates from throughout the state so we’re not just getting influence from the two largest metropolitan areas.” 

Berman defined himself as a conservative Democrat who is fiscally, and on some moral issues, conservative. For instance, he said he does not support abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. 

He said that there has been “class warfare” going on for a while, and Wisconsin has become a center stage for it. 

“I’m a fiscal conservative, but I do believe in treating employees and people fairly,” Berman said. “There are other ways of generating money without hurting families and our neighbors.”

Although he has not run for a statewide office before, Berman said he has served in union leadership for 12 years and on the Marinette County Board of Supervisors for six years. He also ran, and lost, against former Republican Assembly Speaker John Gard in 2004. 

He said Gard broke a statewide spending record, raising more than $220,000, compared to the $17,500 Berman raised. Despite outspending him 12-1, Berman said he still defeated Gard in the city of Marinette and tied him in Marinette County. 

He added he was not discouraged by the amount of money that would come against him and gubernatorial candidates.

Berman said he worked in a particle board factory for many years before losing his job to “unfair labor trade practices with China.” Since then, he has worked in a piston factory and later in in asphalt factory to get his commercial driver’s license so he could become a contract truck driver. 

“I feel a lot of people know where I’m coming from and can associate with my experiences,” Berman said. “I’m not far from everyone.”

He also said he sees Mahlon Mitchell, current president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, who has also declared his intentions to run, as an “extremist.” 

However, Stephanie Biese, a spokesperson for Mitchell’s campaign, said Mitchell will bring needed leadership back to Wisconsin.

“We’re not going to shy away from confrontation,” Biese said. “[Mitchell] is not a career politician, and he is not typical. He does not have an extremist agenda.” 

Milwaukee private investigator Ira Robins, who is also running for the office, wished Berman the best of luck in his bid and added Berman does not seem to be picked by “special interests.” 

The campaign for Gov. Scott Walker, which handles inquiries for Kleefisch’s campaign, did not return comment. Mitchell and Robins currently are the only other Democratic candidates who have declared their intentions to run.