Although Sen. Ron Johnson, Wisconsin senator, says he had no intention of running for re-election after beating Russ Feingold, 2016 United States Senate election candidate, in 2010, he stood before citizens at Thursday’s town hall meeting at Concordia University – Wisconsin (CUW) and announced that he “just can’t quit.”

“I didn’t spend six years in office to leave with all these problems,” Senator Johnson said. “We’re mortgaging our kids’ futures.”

Hoping to secure a second U.S. senate term in order to solve these “problems,” Sen. Johnson has visited 72 Wisconsin counties in 40 days, answering questions and attempting to attract voters in preparation for the United States Senate election on Nov. 8, 2016.

The meeting commenced with an introduction from CUW’s Concordia Republicans president, followed by four questions from CUW students focusing on entrepreneurship, political involvement and the issue of school choice, which, according to Matt Kussow, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools, is “turning out to be the No. 1 or No. 2 campaign issue — maybe No. 2 behind jobs.”

Advocating for school choice, Sen. Johnson said, “We have the union monopolies of schools and they’re not doing well… [School choice] is bringing the competition and giving people the choice.”

The remaining time was allotted to answering attendees’ questions regarding corporate tax rates, presidential candidates and federal government involvement.

Whether they support Sen. Johnson’s views or not, those in attendance said the town hall meeting proved valuable.

“I think it was a great experience to attend not only to become more informed but also to meet with a man who represents our state in the Senate, regardless of if you agree with him or not,” Thomas DeGuire, senior, said.