Wisconsin gets a chance to regain some sanity…
posted at 9:50 am on August 17, 2009 by MadisonConservative
printer-friendly
Yes, indeed! After eight excruciating years of unfinished and egregious state budgets, raising of taxes on everything up to and including the kitchen sink(after promises not to do so), and cronies being investigated every which way but up, it’s been confirmed that Jim Doyle will not attempt to retain his office in 2010! This would just be frosting on the cake for those of us in Wisconsin, if the next national midterms turn out the way they seem to be heading. The big question, though, is who will take his place? It’s still a roulette wheel, with plenty of black numbers that could come up. (RAAAAAAAAAACIST!)
The first name that comes to mind on the left is our old buddy, 911 expert Kathleen Falk. It would be no surprise that someone with even less accomplishments on their record than Doyle would step up to the plate, and even more baggage. One step above her would be Peggy Lautenschlager, but let’s hope that her Budweiser-sodden road trips will nix any of her chances. Depending on her ambitions, Tammy Baldwin might be interested in a career change, but she seems to be satisfied with her current safeguards against constituent’s comments and questions.
Lieutenant Governor Barb Lawton may have a better chance than any of them, being chairman of the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association, as well as being the first female Lt. Governor of Wisconsin. Yeah, they’re both hollow titles, but they sell pretty well in these parts. She’s my bet for the Dems.
As to the right, some have already started their campaigns. The loudest voices I’ve been hearing are those of former Congressman Mark Neumann, and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. Neumann and Walker polled back in March as being losers against an incumbent Doyle. That could change significantly now. Neumann backed Walker in 2006 against Doyle, but Walker himself handed his support to Mark Green. Green hasn’t been making much noise since the announcement, and he might consider his previous loss to Doyle to be kryptonite for a follow-up run.
Fundraising has already been going on for some time for Neumann and Walker, which will probably give them an edge against any other contenders in the Republican Party, and hopefully against any potential Democratic candidates who may have been taken off guard by Doyle’s announcement. Neumann has a Paul Ryan quality about him, but his loss to Feingold for the Senate back in 1998 may dog him somewhat. Walker has a much stronger standing, between his 10 years in the State Assembly and seven years as County Executive.
I’ve got a pipe dream about current Attorney General JB Van Hollen receiving a grassroots campaign, but he hasn’t shown any real interest in going for the governorship. As a candidate, he might be stronger than Neumann in not having lost a Senate run, and being a relatively fresh political face. He’s also a strong Second Amendment proponent who could be the key to concealed carry for Wisconsin residents.
For right now, I’m just hoping that by some miracle, the Dems might nominate a dark horse that is somewhat less of a socialist monarch than Doyle was. If they pick someone even worse, I’m buying stock in Maalox.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Actually, I’m betting on black, considering that most of the options on the far side of the aisle are Communist Red.
Seriously, I’ll have to go through my archives, but more-recent polls than that May one had Doyle losing to both Walker and Neumann.
Walker has been fundraising since April, and had a bit over $1 million in the warchest at the end of June (compared to a bit under $1 million raised in the first 6 months of 2009 and $2 million in the bank for Doyle at that point). Neumann, who filed at the start of July, has not reported any numbers yet.
Other names on the Dem end I’ve been hearing are Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse), Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett (fresh from getting beaten while trying to mediate in a domestic dispute), and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton).
Meanwhile, the Thompson gang, including Tommy himself and a former aide I had never heard of, are making “SECOND LOOK AT THE RACE!” noises. Van Hollen has been silent on the issue.
steveegg on August 17, 2009 at 10:02 AM
When I heard this yesterday I was a very happy camper. I just hope it is not Falk.
sammypants on August 17, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Good piece.
Falk is an abomination. I hope she enjoys having Brittany Zimmermann’s blood on her hands.
Either Neumann or Walker is fine with me, and cripes, even Barrett (the Milwaukee mayor) would be better than Doyle.
Because of Doyle, almost every decision taken in the UW-System has to be run through one of his cronies. Forcing us to use a designated travel agency for any reimbursed travel has been a nightmare, to provide one example.
PimFortuynsGhost on August 17, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Trust me; it won’t be Falk. She’s proven twice that she cannot win a statewide race, and that second time was the single D-to-R statewide/Congressional office shift in 2006.
On the other hand, Falk did knock off the incumbent attorney general, Peg Lautenschlager, in that year’s primary. However, that was a unique situation, where everybody was dumping on Lautenschlager for a DUI while driving a state car and the Dems were especially angry that she was cooperating with US Attorney for Eastern Wisconsin Steve Biskupic into multiple investigations swirling around Doyle (investigations that were not at all supported by Van Hollen, then US Attorney for Western Wisconsin including Madison, and that ran out of time before 1/20/2009 and the era of Chicago Politics).
steveegg on August 17, 2009 at 10:24 AM
I’m actually not sure sure how I feel about this. Doyle, despite the war chest he’s built, was likely going down. This gives the Democrats a chance to put up a fresh face, and potentially be very well financed depending on what Doyle chooses to do with that money.
And yes, please no Falk. That woman should be in jail.
BadgerHawk on August 17, 2009 at 10:51 AM
And now it’s official from the as…er, horse’s as…er, mouth – Doyle will not run again in 2010, but will stick around until the bitter end.
If he isn’t planning on retirement, I expect him to bolt for something in the Obama admin before the term actually ends, but after the September 2010 primary. He won’t take the chance of needing a recess appointment, but he also hates Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton, who would succeed him if he left early. The early/late betting opening line is 10/25/2010.
steveegg on August 17, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Glad to hear that Doyle is leaving. I grew up in Wisconsin and frankly what I’ve been seeing from across the St. Croix is pretty dismaying. Not that things are any better on this side of the St. Croix, of course.
One question: what about Ryan himself? At some point it’s going to have to be up or out for him, right?
Mr. D on August 17, 2009 at 12:18 PM
There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to hold onto his seat for a while. He’s very popular in his district, with red counties like Rock and Walworth backing him. I’m hoping he goes after Kohl’s seat for the Senate. Ryan and Feingold would be a very acceptable balance.
MadisonConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Ryan’s enjoying the House far too much right now, even to try to take out Feingold. In fact, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Ryan has no interest in the governor’s seat.
Interesting note from that story; Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton (D) didn’t even wait for the fireball to contract before heading over to the carcass.
steveegg on August 17, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I’m happy with him doing good work in the House. I wouldn’t mind him replacing Kohl, though.
BadgerHawk on August 17, 2009 at 1:02 PM
with red counties like Rock and Walworth backing him. I’m hoping he goes after Kohl’s seat for the Senate. Ryan and Feingold would be a very acceptable balance.
MadisonConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
When did Rock County turn red? I went to Beloit College and Rock County was awfully blue when I was a student there. I believe they districted Beloit itself into Baldwin’s district, but still….
Mr. D on August 17, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Ryan’s hometown is Janesville, and he has a lot of pull there and in the surrounding areas. Beloit’s always been blue, and will be as long as the demographics remain the same, particularly the high crime rate. If Beloit were to be re-drawn into Green, you’d have a solid red Rock.
MadisonConservative on August 17, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Okay, that makes sense. Janesville used to be a lot more purplish back in the day. One last question: any chance that Kagan can be uprooted in the 8th? I grew up in that district and it was pretty reliably red for a long time. And Kagan really needs to go.
Mr. D on August 17, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Oh, and thanks for the insights, too, guys!
Mr. D on August 17, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Although the rest of the state hates anything from Milwaukee County, I’m thinking Walkers financial tight-fistedness in an era of huge budget deficits might sound pretty good to a lot of people outstate.
Jeff from WI on August 17, 2009 at 3:36 PM
That would be good but Walker will do.
lowandslow on August 17, 2009 at 9:00 PM