MIDDLETON, WI - Russ Feingold, candidate for U.S. Senate, joined homeowners and realtors Tuesday in Green Bay and Milwaukee to discuss the importance of protecting the pocketbooks of middle class and working families.

The mortgage interest deduction is a bedrock of Wisconsin’s middle class that enables families to purchase homes without sacrificing their financial stability.

While Russ is committed to protecting it, Sen. Ron Johnson has expressed a willingness to axe this middle class deduction, saying it should be on the table for elimination. Meanwhile Johnson has voted to protect tax breaks for billionaires and corporations that ship jobs overseas.

WATCH below as Russ meets with Wisconsinites in Green Bay to discuss protecting working and middle class families:

Uploaded on Apr 13, 2016

And again in Milwaukee.

Uploaded on Apr 13, 2016

From the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

“Feingold held a roundtable discussion Tuesday with Green Bay area real estate agents, bankers, government leaders and labor union supporters to discuss the option of eliminating the deduction at the federal level, which allows taxpayers to deduct interest paid on first and second mortgages up to $1 million if they itemize income taxes.

Feingold said eliminating the mortgage interest tax deduction would hurt middle-income families and the Wisconsin economy. His campaign claims that incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has indicated an openness to eliminating that deduction.”

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

“Appearing in Milwaukee, Feingold accused Johnson of "taking a position in the past" of putting the mortgage interest deduction "on the table or on the chopping block, to trade away in order to get other tax cuts."
...
“During a meeting with several real estate agents, Feingold pushed the point that in the past Johnson said he wanted to lower taxes and simplify the tax code and wouldn't rule out doing away with the mortgage interest deduction to achieve the goal.”