The west front of the U.S. Capitol is photographed near dusk Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Patrick Wiesner, a Lawrence attorney, is making his second bid for the U.S. Senate. In 2014, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination to challenge Sen. Pat Roberts. But he lost the primary that year to Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, who later withdrew from the race in one of the most high-profile controversies of that election year.

Wiesner grew up in western Kansas and attended Fort Hays State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and an M.B.A. He earned a law degree from the University of Kansas and now practices in a firm that focuses on business, tax and bankruptcy law in eastern Kansas and the Kansas City metropolitan area. He also served as a U.S. Army Reserve judge advocate for 21 years, retiring in 2014 with the rank of major.

In response to questions from the Journal-World, Wiesner said he believes U.S. trade agreements have hurt the economy and job market, and he opposes the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP agreement.

Wiesner also said he thinks Pell grants and federal student loan programs have contributed to the rising cost of tuition. He suggested shifting the role of guaranteeing student loans onto universities and prohibiting public colleges and universities from charging higher fees to out-of-state students.

On national security, he said protecting oil reserves in Iraq from ISIS should be a top priority and he favors using U.S. military forces to defeat ISIS throughout the Middle East. “After our troops give us victory, they can come home for good,” he said.

Wiesner said he opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, but also opposes building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border.

“My solution is to establish special immigration facilities in northern Mexico to process those who want to apply for legal status,” he said. “Those here illegally can return to that country and then re-enter in accordance with U.S. law. The reward will be a path to full citizenship. The charge will be about $4,000 per person. This will cover the costs of processing, security and facilities. The program would probably take six years to complete.”