Lawton re-running Barbara Lawton announces her candidacy for Leitenant Governor in front of the Brown County Courthouse on Sunday (photo by Tina Gohr). The lieutenant governor candidate promises to work on health care access, campaign reform and an independent DNR By Patti Zarling News-Chronicle Citing the skyrocketing costs of health care as one of her top priorities, Democrat Barbara Lawton announced Sunday she will once again campaign to be lieutenant governor. Lawton ran four years ago with gubernatorial hopeful Ed Garvey. "For over 15 years, this Republican administration has held our future hostage to guarantee its own incumbency," Lawton said at a press conference in front of the Brown County Courthouse on Sunday. "It has engaged in unprecedented state spending, cronyism and abuse of executive privilege. From no-bid contracts to insider deals, the taxpayers have not been well served. The Republican legacy: a one-billion-dollar-plus deficit and a cruel gimmick masquerading as a budget." Lawton also visited Milwaukee and Madison Sunday and will tour southeast Wisconsin today and the west and northwest regions Tuesday in preparation of the upcoming Democratic convention in Madison. Lawton will face state Sen. Kevin Shibilski, D-Stevens Point, in the September primary. Lawton noted this time around she has name recognition and a network of supporters. "I also don't think (Gov. Scott) McCallum will be elected," she said. "I think he suffers a lack of confidence. We don't have that tight-fisted control of (former Gov.) Tommy Thompson." Lawton said she considers the most serious obstacle to economic growth to be the cost of health care. "As lieutenant governor, I promise to use my office to work toward transforming the way we buy health care ... I will work with the governor to bring together a team of employers and employees, consumers from around the state as well as university experts to build a single-payer plan for health insurance. The state must become a partner to private enterprise and individuals so that we can increase everyone's power to have access to quality affordable health care." She said she also believes strongly in campaign finance reform, stressing the administration must step in and make changes legislators seem unwilling to do. She also gave support to an independent Department of Natural Resources, restoration of the public intervenor and resolved to help Wisconsin businesses find profit in the growth of "green" manufacturing. Lawton ran for the state Senate in the 30th District in 1996. She served on the Heffernan Commission "Citizen Panel for a Clean Elections Option" and was named "1999 Feminist of the Year" by the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Organization for Women. "Together we will breathe new life into the Wisconsin Idea, reestablish our common purpose and build strong communities in every part of the state," Lawton said. "I want to contribute creative ideas to fuel a vision for economic growth that brings prosperity to all and restores integrity to state government."