If Russ Feingold ran for the US Senate in 2012 would he have win in the Democratic Primary against

[NPolitics1979]

Tammy Baldwin and would he have defeated Tommy Thompson in the general election- Neither Feingold nor Kind decided to run- was the entire WI Democratic Party united behind Baldwin. Regarding the 2016 WI US Senate Election against Johnson. Ron Kind is the Democratic candidate that will defeat Johnson in a Democratic,Neutral,and Republican election year. Feingold will defeat Johnson because unlike 2010-which was a Republican wave election year- 2016 is going to be a Democratic leaning election year- Feingold is likely to win due to Hillary Clinton's coattails. The question is will Feingold survive re-election in 2022.

[frazzled]

1. I don't know: how many times has a defeated senator

been later re-elected to the Senate? I can't find a statistic for that easily.

The bigger question is why was he defeated in 2010. I don't think the explanation of a Republican wave year is usually enough to explain the defeat of an incumbent senator.

If I lived in WI I'd certainly vote for Russ Feingold, but Wisconsin can be weird. I can't say whether he'd have a good chance or not. I'm not certain that history is behind such comebacks.

[NPolitics1979]

4. Gorton(R-WA)lost in 1986 but ran for the other WA US Senate seat in 1988 and won.

Gorton won re-election in the 1994 but lost again in 2000 against Cantwell-D
Regarding why Feingold lost to Johnson in 2010.
Feingold did not face a top tier GOP Challenger like Udall-CO(2014),Daschle-SD(2004),Cleland-GA(2002),Robb-VA(2000).
Feingold was not corrupt like Mosley Braun-IL(1998).
Feingold has been a weak candidate- He got elected in 1992 by unseating a two term Republican incumbent Robert Kasten who was somewhat too conservative for WI voters by a 53-46 percent margin. He almost lost re-election in 1998 against Mark Neumann- a conservative US Representative who previously held Paul Ryan's current US House seat- Feingold refused to accept soft money contribution in the 1998 race- Feingold won by a 51-48 percent margin. In 2004- Feingold faced an obscure wealthy businessman-Tim Michels- Feingold won that race by a 55-44 percent margin. Johnson was not a top tier GOP challenger like Neumann 2010 election year was more Republican leaning than it was in 1998. Another thing to mention is unlike the Boxer-Fiorina race in CA, WI is less Democratic than CA.

[Scuba]

7. Russ got caught in the teaparty wave of 2010.

[Scuba]

2. I know this one. Russ was tired of politics and wanted a break. He also knew Tammy was a good ...

... candidate with progressive credentials and that she would beat Tommy.

Ron Kind maybe could win a Wisconsin Senate seat if he ran as a Republican; he votes with them quite often.

Any Democrat who is counting on riding Hillary's coattails is in trouble. She will not win a general election. Republicans will vote against her as a bloc, and she's done absolutely nothing to inspire anyone on the left except those who are loyal to the Democratic Party, policies be damned. If she goes up against Scott Walker, heaven help us.

[geek tragedy]

3. Walker probably would have never been elected if WI's governors race overlapped with Presidential

elections.

[Scuba]

6. True in 2010 and in 2012. Running the recall election just five months ahead of the general ....

... election was a grave mistake.

[geek tragedy]

8. Yup. nt

[NPolitics1979]

9. WI has voted for the Democratic Presidential nominee since Dukakis in 1988.

1988- 51-48(Dukakis)
1992- 41-37-22(Clinton)
1996- 49-39-10(Clinton)
2000- 48-48(Gore)
2004- 50-49(Kerry)
2008- 56-42(Obama)
2012- 53-46(Obama)
Expect Hillary Clinton to carry WI by a 0-5 percent margin-if a Republican is favored to recieve 270ev otherwise- Hillary Clinton carries WI by a 5-10 percent margin.

[Scuba]

10. I can't imagine what your thinking is on those projections, but my comments related to ...

... Hillary's chances nationally. She might win Wisconsin (doubtful) but she can't win nationally.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Hopefully Feingold runs,

Feingold name recognition has for the most part been very positive through out the state. Russ has to get through the States super Conservative media by calling them out as who they are and what they are. On the North West side of the state,the Mpls St Paul Media was the make or break in the Recall as well as the General the last two times. Couple of the Twin Cities Media outlets went total negative against all Democratic Candidates in Western and Northern Wisconsin. And what you see is what you have,a bunch of Koch Bros. suckasses.

[NPolitics1979]

11. In your state MN which is slightly more Democratic than WI.

Stuart Smalley narrowly defeat Norm Coleman in 2008 but in 2014(Republican wave election year)- Franken won re-election by a 53-43 percent margin against Mike McFadden- who like Ron Johnson is a wealthy businessman. Why was Franken able to win but not Feingold. Another interesting thing to look at is the 2010 WI Governors Race- Walker-R defeated Barrett-D by a 52-46 percent margin. Feingold had very little crossover appeal.

[Wellstone ruled]

12. Al Franken is the real deal and that is

what makes him electable. Al challenged McFadden at every turn and did not let the Rethugs define him. Minnesotans learned their lessons with Coleman and who and what he really is. Minnesota voters will do divided Government to their dismay from time to time. Al's Campaign stayed positive,and when the opposition went negative they went negative over the line with name calling and stupid. McFadden looked like and sounded like a idiot in debates. Have to remember the GOP loves seniority with in their ranks,also they look forward by looking in the rear view mirror. Appears the Rethugs were waiting for Coleman to jump back in and with the Peters Sun Country BK looming with his wife's name popping up from time to time,he went to work on K Street. BTW,Mark Dayton was on the Ballot and this guy is a straight arrow with Statewide Name Recognition. Dayton-Hudson Department Stores as well as Target Stores and his Ex is a Pillsbury.

[UCmeNdc]

13. Feingold should run against Johnson