Paul Fanlund: In race against Scott Walker, the high road will be wide open

[hue]

http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/paul_fanlund/paul-fanlund-in-race-against-scott-walker-the-high-road/article_a5c6e675-8f7f-5cee-98f2-099f876d2c79.html#.Ub_WwRttLaI.facebook

One sunny Saturday nearly two years ago at a Williamson Street coffee shop, Tammy Baldwin told me that, yes, she really did intend to run for the U.S. Senate.

It struck me then as quixotic, this locally popular Madison Democrat surrendering a safe U.S. House seat to make herself a dart board for millions of dollars in negative ads. Moreover, she would be a lesbian running in a state that made gay marriage unconstitutional just five years prior.

Her unequivocal statement to me (“I think I am likely to run”) was picked up by national publications and she headed off to tirelessly introduce herself to voters in every corner of the state.

That she could eventually win seemed far-fetched at the time, since that summer was a moment of high tide for Gov. Scott Walker and his Republican Legislature after their successful assault on public unions.

So now, in June 2013, we are again 16 months from a crucial statewide election, this time to determine whether Wisconsin re-elects Walker, its most divisive politician since the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Now, as two years ago with Baldwin, progressives sound more hopeful than confident about their prospects.

[Scuba]

1. Thanks for posting. I agree with the author that politics as usual will have the usual results.

Thanks for posting, hue.

[ewagner]

2. This makes sense....

do we have the candidate, the discipline, the INTELLIGENCE to use it?

[midnight]

3. I was hoping to read about some possible candidates that might be looking to challenge

Walker...

[Jackpine Radical]

4. If nominated,

I will not run.

If elected, I will not serve.


There. Now that we've cleaned out the deadwood, who do we actually have?


Barrett and Falk are yesterday's news (even though I like Tom).

I like Vinehout, but I'm aparently in a small minority outside her home district. And, smart as she is, she could sure as hell benefit from some messaging help. She's a No-Go right now.

Somebody needs to go & sit on LaFollette the Lesser (despite his guts with Prop 10). He has reached his level of competence at SOS, IMHO.

That leaves us with whom?

Crazy idea--Bob Jauch! (Just hit me.) Competent northerner, he could pull some counties up here that are not exactly solidly blue. (Sawyer, Chippewa, Rusk, Ashland for example).

[AllyCat]

5. We need someone from the north I think. Jauch is good.

Hope he will consider it.

[mojowork_n]

6. They couldn't hang the Milwaukee vs. the Rest of Wisconsin thing on him.

He could bring something by deciding to make a run for the nomination.

A member of the legislature since 1983... 3 decades. Long enough to know the way things have been going lately isn't what once made Wisconsin a great state.

It could be interesting to see him make that argument.



If he showed he had what it took to knock off a younger challenger or two or three, I'd vote for him. I certainly support his getting in the race if he wants to give it a try.

[midnight]

7. I feel bad that this name Jach does not ring a bill and that he has been serving for so long... But

I suppose that once he introduces himself to the whole state that will change quickly... Thanks for your input...

[hue]

8. The time to find a candidate for WI Gov. is now. We need some name recognition work!!