Frank Kostka says jobs are the top priority for residents of Wisconsin’s 73rd Assembly, just as they were decades ago when he graduated Ashland High School and went to work in the mines of northern Minnesota.

Kostka is running against Democrat Angela Stroud in the November election to represent the district that comprises the greater Superior and Douglas County area.

Growing up in Ashland, Kostka sailed on the Great Lakes after high school, and after working in the mines, joined the U.S. Air Force, serving 20 years. Afterward, he returned to his hometown, where he became owner of Ashland’s Bay Area Pawn Shop.

An active member of the American Legion, Kostka was elected commander of the American Legion Department of Wisconsin in 2018 and has also served on national committees of the Veteran’s Group. He and his wife Linda have four children and 11 grandchildren. 

Kostka’s candidacy is for the seat left open by current Rep. Angie Sapik of Lake Nebagamon, a Republican who won the office in 2022.

The 73rd District had been reliably Democratic for years. Support began to erode after redistricting in 2011 by a Republican-dominated Legislature. After flipping to the GOP with the election of Sapik, the district has been redrawn again. It now runs from Superior east to Bayfield and Ashland, which are predominantly Democratic areas.

Kostka spoke with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition” about his candidacy.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Robin Washington: What’s the single biggest issue in our area and how can the Legislature address it?

Frank Kostka: One of them is jobs, just like when I had to leave my hometown and go to work in the mines of Minnesota. Jobs were in short supply and one of the key things that we need to look at.

Secondly, we need to really make sure that our taxes are in line with the needs of the area or the state. I’ve been talking to too many people that are really concerned about the rising taxes on both income and their personal real estate property.

RW: The proposed billion-dollar Nemadji Trail Energy Center national gas plant for Superior has divided the region. The city of Superior has stalled it, citing concerns about the environment and making the charge that it ultimately would be paid for by local residents. Are you in favor of the plant, and if so, are the critics’ concerns valid?

FK: I don’t have enough information at this time because that’s the far end of the district. But I am concerned that they approved the construction of the plant and all of a sudden when they started getting some negative comments, they wanted to back out of the deal. So I’m concerned about what their rationale is for both getting into it and getting out of it. 

That’s a Superior issue, so I really need to look into that a little further and get some more details on it, but I do tend to favor energy security. So however we can provide more energy to make it more reliable and economical for the area, I’m all in favor of that.

RW: Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 pipeline project has also divided the region. Do you see any realistic compromise there or is it simply build it or not?

FK: Well, this has been in discussion for some time. The Bad River tribe said they didn’t want it on their property. The whole intent of the pipeline was it’s already there, it was existing. What they wanted to do was replace it with a more efficient, more reliable pipeline and they couldn’t come to an agreement.

So now, they’re going around the reservation. And so I don’t think it’s an issue. Again, I’m in favor of energy security, and what are the options? Are we going to turn the pipeline off? A good part of that pipeline provides propane to Michigan. What’s that going to do to the citizens of the UP? So I’m in favor of keeping whatever we can do to provide secure energy for not only the country, but our area up here.

RW: The region’s congressman, Republican Tom Tiffany, has proposed changing the Apostle Islands area from a national Lakeshore to a national park, a move that’s also sparked divisions among party lines, even though both sides say they love the area and it shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Given that, is this really worth another partisan fight?

FK: That’s an issue that I’m very concerned about in the aspect of whether or not it impacts the personal property rights of the citizens in the area. And I really don’t have enough information. I asked Tom to send me some more detailed information on what his proposal is and how he approaches it, and I have not received it yet.

RW: Should you be elected, is there any Democratic-backed initiative in the Legislature that you can get behind — keeping in mind we don’t know exactly which party will be in control in the next session?

FK: At this point I don’t know what the Democrat issues are, but I am open to any and all discussions that would benefit our area up here in northern Wisconsin. When I was in the service, I negotiated contracts with various companies on upgrades to systems in the military. So, I am open to discussion.