Some Voters Unswayed by Rape Comment

Some people in state Rep. Roger Rivard’s district say they’re not swayed by a controversy over remarks he made in a local newspaper. Rivard was quoted as saying “some girls rape easy” — a comment that’s led some top Republicans to put some distance between themselves and Rivard.

Rivard’s comment was first printed in the Chetek Alert just before Christmas 2011. The article was a one on one discussion with the legislator about statutory rape and juvenile sexual assault. Rivard says his comments were taken out of context and he was actually repeating a warning from his father, that consensual sex one night could be considered rape the next day. Ryan Urban is the Chetek Alert’s News Editor, “Initially I know some people took offense to it and actually did forward the story on to major news outlets statewide and nationally but it didn’t gain any traction then.”

But while much hay is being made over Rivard’s statement voters in his assembly district say it won’t change their votes. Bob Miller of New Auburn says this is a smear job plain and simple, “What they’re doing is they’re taking what he said, each word out of context and they’re just forming their own opinion of it and trying to influence other people to change their vote because of that.”

Rebecca Lindeman of Cameron says she won’t be voting for Rivard because of his platform not because of his statement, “It was one of those comments that was irresponsible but taken out of some context and knowing some about Roger I’m not convinced that he meant it the way it came out.”

Prominent Wisconsin Republicans like Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, Scott Walker and Robin Vos have distanced themselves from Rivard since his comment began making headlines.