Two Democrats are competing for a spot in the primary election for the 3rd Congressional District.
Dr. Dan Wik, CEO of MYPAINDOC of Grand Island, Norfolk, Columbus and Fremont, and David J. Else of Overton are vying to become the Democratic choice on the fall ballot.
Wik has served as the CEO of MYPAINDOC since 2009. He began building a career in medicine after receiving a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, in 1980.
Wik became a doctor of chiropractic medicine at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minneapolis in 1985, and followed that with a doctor of medicine from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, Wisconsin, and Bay Shore, New York, in 2000.
No stranger to the political process, Wik was a congressional candidate for the 1st District in 2016 and a candidate in the U.S. Senate race in 2020. Wik said he believes partisan political infighting harms American progress and success.
“Politicians should not be afraid to give credit to whomever enhances the success of the United States,” he said. “Voters should focus on an individual’s platform and beliefs, not on their party affiliation.”
Wik’s stance on various social issues seems to reflect that point. When it comes to criminal justice reform, Wik said incarceration creates better criminals when better citizens are what is needed. Better sentencing options — ones that help certain offenders become better people — are better than jail, he said.
On the topic of abortion, Wik said Supreme Court justices should uphold states’ rights in setting abortion laws, pointing to the 10th Amendment as a basis for his stance.
On the economy, Wik supports a 20% income tax, capital gains, corporate tax and import tax each, as well as a national law for a balanced budget. “National debt is our greatest threat to increased taxes. The only caveat is to raise money by the federal government during war,” he said.
Wik said he believes bills should be one item only without additional “pork,” thus debating the merits of one law only, and all laws should pass by a 60% or greater majority, as reasonable people should all agree on reasonable laws.
Wik said he has published what he calls “common sense solutions in his previous campaign platforms, and in doing so, he has risked agreement and disagreement.
“There are two kinds of people in this country: Politicians who make laws and citizens who have to live by the law politicians make,” he said. “Make sure your politician is transparent and honest in their platform.”
Multiple attempts by the Daily News to contact Else regarding his campaign were unsuccessful.
Dr. Dan Wik
Democrat of Grand Island
Education: 1980 bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota; 1985 doctor of chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minneapolis; 2000 doctor of medicine in St. George’s University School of Medicine of Grenada, Wisconsin, and Bay Shore, New York; 2002 internship at Southern Colorado Family Medicine in Pueblo, Colorado,; and 2005 residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.
Background: Has served as chief executive officer of MYPAINDOC in Grand Island, Norfolk, Columbus and Fremont since 2009.
