Democrat Kathleen Vinehout released a Jan. 24 statement prior to Gov. Scott Walker’s State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature. In it, she contended, “Wages are 18th lowest in the country. We are last in business startups. We are third worst for affordable family-based infant childcare, making holding a job difficult and expensive.” Vinehout is a member of the Wisconsin Senate from Alma. She is currently running for governor in a crowded Democratic field against the Republican Walker. The Observatory fact-checked Vinehout’s statement as three separate claims — that wages in Wisconsin are 18th lowest in the country; that Wisconsin is last in business startups; and that the state has the third least affordable family-based infant child care. 
Vinehout’s critique of Wisconsin wages, child-care costs and startup activity largely hold up
['Wisconsin', 'Democratic_Party_(United_States)']