Wisconsin Right to Life committee endorses 3 of 4 Feingold rivals, Bush

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | March 4, 2004 | From the Journal Sentinel

[JohnnyZ]

The Wisconsin Right to Life Political Action Committee endorsed three of the four Republicans seeking to unseat U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) without expressing a clear preference for any of the three.

The committee endorsed state Sen. Bob Welch, car dealer Russ Darrow and Oconomowoc businessman Tim Michels over Feingold, but did not mention the fourth Republican, Robert Gerald Lorge, a lawyer from Bear Creek. Lorge, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for secretary of state in 2002, announced his candidacy after the other three Republicans.

The political action committee for Wisconsin Right to Life also endorsed President Bush in his bid for a second term.

"President Bush wants to continue his work in upholding the sanctity of human life . . . We do not want Russ Feingold to continue to have the ability to thwart President Bush's judicial nominees," said Bonnie Pfaff, chairman of the political action committee.

Pfaff called Welch "a champion for the right-to-life cause," and said Michels and Darrow "would be extremely supportive of legislation to enhance the dignity of all human life . . ."

As for Feingold, Pfaff called him "extreme" and said his defeat "must be uppermost in the minds of Wisconsin's right-to-life community in the 2004 elections."

The Feingold campaign declined to comment on the endorsement.

[JohnnyZ]

Welch was hoping for a solo endorsement based on his legislative record, but it would be hard to justify leaving out Darrow and Michels, who are both good candidates.

[AuH2ORepublican]

I guess Wisconsin Right to Life didn't endorse Lorge because of that incident in which he confused Steve Martin with his dead wife while sharing a bed with him.