Two candidates have emerged in the race for Portage County district attorney: assistant district attorney Veronica Isherwood and Rep. Louis Molepske Jr. (D—71st Assembly District), also a private practice attorney. Both are running as democrats.

NewsChannel 7 asked the two candidates some questions heading into the Aug. 14 primary.

NC7: Why will you make a good district attorney?

Isherwood: "I've been doing it for 11 years. I don't have to learn the job, I've been doing the job. If I’m elected, I will start the next day and nothing in our office will change."

Molepske: “I've drafted the law, voted on it, and I'll be prosecuting that same law. I've managed a staff, managed a large budget and I’ve had that county experience, county-wide experience that is so important."

NC7: How does politics factor into this race?

Isherwood: "The district attorney's race is not a political race. I have made thousands of decisions in my years as asst. district attorney and not one had to do with Democrats or Republicans. I'm not a member of the Democratic Party and I won't join the Democratic Party because the district attorney is responsible for doing all of the election fraud."

Molepske: "While it's not necessary to be a member of the party, I think that shows a little bit about her character—that you should be true to the beliefs about being a Republican, Democrat, Independent or whatever, and that you shouldn't just run on a particular party label because you think it will help you get votes.”

NC7: Rep. Molepske is the nephew of Portage Co. Judge John Finn. Does that present a conflict of interest?

Isherwood: "It's very clear that he cannot appear in Branch 2. What's not clear is that if he was district attorney, the rest of us work under him. Could anybody appear in that branch?"

Molepske: "The law states that the judge has to determine whether or not a conflict exists. And I have no question, no concern, that the three judges in this county will make sure that they remain impartial."

NC7: What will you bring to the table if elected district attorney?

Isherwood: "This is about fighting crime and keeping the community safe."

Molepske: "The number one thing that I can do is make potential criminals productive citizens."