GOP marks Wisconsin as key state in 2004

NRSC.org ^

[nospinzone]

Republicans mark state as key in 2004 election Excerpted from the Associated Press; October 29, 2003

Madison — Republicans will target U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold and Rep. Ron Kind as they try to increase their majorities in Congress and win Wisconsin for President Bush in next year's elections, the national GOP chairman said Tuesday.

The Republican Party has marked Wisconsin as a key battleground state for the 2004 race ever since Bush lost the state to Al Gore in 2000 by fewer than 6,000 votes...

..."Wisconsin is trending our way. It's not just my gut. It's what you see on the ground," Gillespie said.

Republican candidates Russ Darrow, Tim Michels and state Sen. Bob Welch (R-Redgranite) are seeking the GOP nomination to face Feingold next year...

...Gillespie said Republicans would attack Feingold for his vote against the Patriot Act, which expanded governmental powers the Bush administration said were needed to combat terrorism...

...Gillespie also said Feingold would be vulnerable because he voted against a ban last week on a late-term abortion procedure that opponents call a "partial-birth abortion" and his votes opposing Bush's tax cuts...

[nospinzone]

An encouraging article that shows the Republicans aren't letting Feingold go so easy. I'm not familiar with Rep. Ron Kind, a vulnerable Dem?

[WinOne4TheGipper]

How many electoral votes does Wisconsin have?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Kind, if I recall, is in a Bush congressional seat-- or one that Bush narrowly lost.

[July 4th]

10 electoral votes. Feingold is vulnerable too. He wouldn't have won the last election, but for the thousands of Madisonians who flocked to the polls to vote for Tammy Baldwin, the nation's first lesbian Congresswoman. That night, the surge in Madison voter turnout was enough to give him the election.

1998 Senate
Russell Feingold (D) - 892,643 votes
Mark Neumann (R) - 857,351 votes

But the luster of Tammy has faded. She's been a do-nothing Congresswoman, and the students here know it.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Thanks for the info.

[Republican Red]

I thought I read somewhere that Tommy Thompson was considering running for Senate?

[Indy Pendance]

There's some talking points about Tommy Thompson coming back to Wisconsin and running for Feingold's seat. Speculation continues, after two years in the senate, he runs for governor, and appoints a republican senator for 4 more years. The net gain would be 1 republican senator, 1 republican governor. It's all talk right now, but interesting theory.

[Indy Pendance]

See #6.

[reformedliberal]

I am in the 3rd District.

Kind is a Hillary water-carrier. Lately he has been making *moderate* noises (sort of). Don't ask me for details, I ignore him if at all possible, but I recall having been less annoyed than usual on a few occaisions recently. We need a strong candidate to run against him. Lacrosse is a union town, the paper is a Lee Enterprises production that does not support the administration and lets Kind say whatever he wants w/o any questioning at all. Add that there are 2 universities, Trane is a major employer that is cutting jobs and Iowa and Minnesota are both right across the River. Most good jobs are in the University or our major medical centers (2 of them). There are loads of old hippies in infrastructure positions, as well.

On our side, I do think most people support the POTUS.

I would donate to anyone who looked like they had a chance to win against Kind and Finegold. I have been burned on this before, however and I sort of doubt it could happen. OTOH, this was Steve Gunderson's district and Steve was a Log Cabin Republican & intelligent, as well. A liberal Republican could have a chance, IMO.

Please, paleos, don't flame this, but I do not think a conservative could win. Since we need to reinforce the balance of power in the Congress to the Republican side, it is my considered opinion that only a liberal-to-moderate Republican could stand a chance.

[Holden Magroin]

No chance of beating Russ Foolsgold. The media has labeled him a "maverick" and an "independent," even though he is a radical and a liberal.

[Xthe17th]

I wish they'd also mark Arizona and target his CFR buddy McInsane - almost identical voting records. Sheesh!

[wny]

...ever since Bush lost the state to Al Gore in 2000 by fewer than 6,000 votes...

But everyone knows that more Wisconsans intended to vote for Bush than for AlGore

[Sinner6]

Kind may vaunerable. But the our performance in 02 was pathetic. (weak fundraising)

http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=WI03&Cycle=2002

I have had a few email exchanges with the area chairman and he said the strategy is to rely on the counties... I am not reassured.

[Sinner6]

http://www.3rdgop.org/candidate.htm

Know anything about this Dale Schultz guy?

[reformedliberal]

No. I am West of his district and my DH is the one who monitors the local news, as I cannot deal w/it. I will ask him tonite.

His bio and website do not encourage me. He comes across as a weenie. The areas he is involved in, IMO, have been co-opted by Green interests. Blue ribbon Task Forces. etc, in my experience from the 1980's are cosmetic only and formed as a sop to the PR campaign of the Governor, where big interests predominate and the rest of us are window dressing.

Outstate has little influence in WI, again, in my experience. Madison and Milwaulee seem to control things.

[reformedliberal]

I agree w/you. My county is represented by a Republican Party that is divisive. I know the 2 past chairmen: one has a personality that discourages anyone from participating (she will vote for W, but is far more liberal than he) and the other is a guy who ran as a Pub becasue it was easier...he had run as a Dem, prior and is a totally self-involved type who is out for himself and who hangs w/the most radical of the alternative community. He alienated the local Dem Party leaders, as well.

In the run up to 2002, the RNC had a place on their web site asking *what are they saying about us*? I used that to inform them of the then-chairman's status as a RINO (and worse, IMO). Nothing has changed. I hear nothing of national operatives on the ground...usually we can count at least on being invited to candidates' coffees.

Now, the person from my county who challenged Kind last time (Tully) appears to be involved in fringe conspiracy theory aspects of real issues. She is not credible and cannot even get local votes. She also works both sides of the street, IMO, although perhaps I am being too hard on her. I know she had economic interests that centered around an alternative market prior to her surprise run for Congress.She has since retreated from those, but more likely (I am cynical) because she didn't make enough money off them.

The county Dems are totally in lockstep w/the DNC. I used to (30 years ago)be rather close to one of their leading local operatives....she is the local *power behind the throne* and a fruit loop w/a lot of $$ and national Dem connections. She and her pals are out there daily w/the latest innuendos and worse against the administration...typical Rat crap. Meanwhile, the Republicans act indulgent and would never confront her. I have. So, now she wants to know (insert plaintive whine) why I don't like her, only she has never asked me, just spread it around that she is a poor victim of a mean person. She once told me that I couldn't be a conservative because I am an artist. Lord knows what else she says, as I haven't been told, but I get the impression she goes out of her way to make me sound less than credible. So be it.

We need a heavy hitter. We need the money to run that person and we need savvy operatives to come in from the National.
There is no organizing and I am uncertain it could work here, to be honest. In the last 20 years, we have had an influx of radicals and they have money, connections and have taken over a lot of the Ag Department marketing grants (I am talking about millions in State and Federal $$). Doyle panders to them, like he does to everyone else who is a *special interest*. Finegold never even shows for the townhalls, just sends an aide. Finegold responds to constituents on national policy by sending boilerplate press releases.

The votes could be here. I see a lot of people who get their news from FNC and the Internet and they would be ready to support someone who looked strong enough to win. I am even told there are stealth conservatives or at least administration supporters in Madison. My Milwaukee contacts are all way in the past, but considering the various goings on there in the past couple of years, I doubt we have much support there.

I will be amazed if WI even goes for W.

[My2Cents]

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