Posted on 04/09/2006 4:52:18 PM PDT by mukraker
Wisconsin has a long history of open primaries that dates back to the progressive movement of Robert Lafollette in the early 1990s, when the state was up for sale in the legislature to the lumber, railroads, banking interests, and other business monopolies.
It was not unusual for people to just get paid for their votes. Parties picked their candidates for the state ballot, and the real people were left out.
Lafollette changed much of that. He fought for and got the open primary. All of the people were now able to vote for the candidate of their choice in the primary — and they didn’t need to register by party. Voters were allowed to cross party lines. Still, the GOP kept the endorsement process at their conventions, though candidates still had the option of running in the primaries if they lost the endorsement race. Seldom did anyone run against the endorsement.
I was, and still am, a big backer of party endorsement of candidates, but only by the convention delegates assembled at the yearly meeting. The people in politics tend to know the candidates much better than the average voter. But, I also believe that the open primary is important to be a check against too much power in any area.
This all changed when Bob Kasten defeated Lee Dreyfus in the 1978 endorsement contest in Milwaukee at the state convention for governor. The Dreyfus folks were not happy. It had become a battle of the out state people and the grass roots for Dreyfus against the power brokers and Milwaukee area money for Bob Kasten.
So, led by Bill Kraus, Bob Williams, Helen Bie and others, the vastly under-funded Dreyfus took on the money crowd in the primary. Lowell Jackson thought up the great idea of buying an “old school bus, called it the “Lackamanna" express and rode it around the state with Dreyfus speaking from the rear platform.
The press loved Dreyfus so he got lots of free media. The Kasten campaign vastly underrated Dreyfus and the “no money gang”; the result, Dreyfus beat Kasten in the primary and went on to win the final election against Marty Schreiber. The Dreyfus gang went on to force the elimination of party endorsement for statewide races in the following year.
Fast forward to the late 90s.
The party convention was drawing only a few hundred people to the event — the first convention I went to in 1966 had thousands. The endorsement process was resurrected but a candidate had to have a super majority before he could get the backing of the party after the convention.
That has not happened yet in a deeply contested and divided convention. The endorsement by the party delegates is just for statewide races. The party has never allowed endorsement for congressional seats at any level.
Now we have a most interesting situation in the 8th Congressional District, northern Wisconsin, where Mark Green is retiring to run for governor.
Previously all of our elected GOP congressmen have fought it out in a primary, winner takes on the Democrat. Since endorsements have never been allowed, even by the district caucus, primaries have been the rule for congressional races.
Today we see a new situation. The state GOP chairman, Rick Graber and other party leaders have decided, on their own, to put the assets of the party and the prestige of the Vice President Dick Cheney on the line to select Assembly Speaker Jon Gard, as the anointed GOP candidate, completely disregarding the state GOP constitution.
This is without precedent. That is what is scary. And power without the benefit of principles is really scary.
What is next? Will this group select the winner in the Attorney General contest, put the party behind a candidate for president in 2008? I know that if Jim Sensenbrenner retired and the party came out and endorsed someone I would scream bloody murder. The state party does not have the legal right to endorse any candidate without the consent of the convention and a new amendment to its constitution. Why bother to even get involved in state politics if you are just a poor county worker. Hell, no one cares about you; they even took away your vote.
Polls have shown Gard to be very unpopular. In a poll conducted through the Wisconsin Conservative Digest in 2005, Gard only received 2 to 3 percent support in his bid for Governor. The poll was taken of the leading GOP people across the state — 5,000 total, with an impressive 45 percent return. Gard obviously saw the same numbers and he dropped out of the race.
It’s apparent to political insiders that Gard has cut an inside deal with Graber and other key elected officials to gain their endorsement.
And who is Graber to do this? His record is abysmal. According to my count he is 0-12 in key statewide races where a Republican win was needed. We don’t even have candidates in many important races. Where is our candidate against Herb Kohl for U.S. Senate? Graber’s gang has never fielded a strong challenge to any of the Democrat congressman and blew the last governor's race.
In Graber’s first campaign, Kasten’s re-election to the US Senate in 1992 against Russ Feingold, Graber blew it. That’s why we have Russ Feingold out there beating up our president. Graber is great at raising money, but lacks the knowledge of the electorate in this state to run campaigns, much less the state party. The GOP has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, but Graber still thinks that the power in the party is with a few money people at the top.
The main question for the voters of the 8th Congressional district is whether or not Jon Gard, the Madison/Milwaukee anointed candidate is the best person to win the seat. Gard’s ability to win is questionable. Legislative leaders have an abysmal record in getting elected. How many have moved up to higher office, statewide or nationally?
The Democrats are going to have a field day beating up on Gard about his connection in the Scott Jensen/Steve Foti caucus scandal. Gov. Jim Doyle recognized this and fired his campaign manager Rich Judge; because of his connection to the caucus scandal would be a constant distraction.
Who is the other candidate? State Rep. Terry McCormick, the founder of the charter school movement in the state and a very independent, intelligent and tough candidate who has many advantages. First of all, the people that know her like her, and as the district meets her they will too. If you put any faith in Karl Rove, you will realize that he positioned the President very strongly on education in his races because the women and families are very tuned in to that message.
That is a big advantage.
McCormick also does not have to answer for the sins of the leadership in the caucus scandals. The Democrats will beat up Gard on that issue pretty hard.
Can McCormick beat Nancy Nusbaum? Probably. Can Gard? Questionable. Without the backing of the women’s vote it is going to be tough. Gard cannot remake himself on this issue at this late date.
What has caused this dilemma? Is Graber, head of a lobbying firm in debt to Gard for help he has received for his clients? Do the others really believe that Gard is the best candidate, or is it just cronyism for the Milwaukee/Madison people to control the 8th district vote? You decide.
If we are to keep the 8th district seat, we need to “let the people decide”.
This should be decided in the primary, not in some proverbial smoke-filled-room.
Something similar to this happened in the 8th. district race in 1996. Those familiar with electoral history will know how that turned out.
"Zoykes, Shaggy" Ping.
Diana, you have a great tagline.
This is outrageous. Gard will lose us that seat if he is nominated.
He's more likely than not to lose, that's for sure. And it's not like Terri McCormick is a RINO.
"In Graber’s first campaign, Kasten’s re-election to the US Senate in 1992 against Russ Feingold, Graber blew it. That’s why we have Russ Feingold out there beating up our president."
Living next store to Wisconsin, I remember this race.
My re-collections of Bob Kasten was that we was not exactly a great US Senator, his constituent services were iffy (kinda like Rod Grams, our former Senator) and that he wasn't a good campaigner. In fact, Kasten barely won re-election in '86 against an unpopular Democrat challenger named Ed Garvey.
Maybe there's some Dairyland Freepers who will correct me on this - but it seems as though Graber was the least of Kasten's worries back in '92.
Legislative leaders have an abysmal record in getting elected. How many have moved up to higher office, statewide or nationally?
One of many, many statements in this piece for which the author gives no evidence or explanation. Tim Pawlenty, Tom Feeney, and George Pataki come to mind immediately as people who fit in this category. I'm sure there are dozens more currently in office...
On the other hand, I can't quickly think of any state legislative leaders who have lost competitive races (where they weren't just sacrificial lambs against a popular incumbent) off the top of my head...
And really, 2% means "no name recognition," it doesn't necessarily mean "unpopular." Whether or not he has any chance, I don't think Sam Brownback is "unpopular," I think nobody's ever heard of him, which explains his standing in the '08 polls. Rick Santorum, on the other hand, is "unpopular" because his positives are even with or just below his negatives.
Is this the correct date for LaFollette's Progressive Movement?
....when the state was up for sale in the legislature to the lumber, railroads, banking interests, and other business monopolies.
Oh, I see where this is all different! Now the Governor is up for sale to the to the trial lawyers, WEAC, tribal gaming interests, WEAC, and various out-of staters. Did I mention WEAC?
</snarc>
"Diana, you have a great tagline."
Thank you. It combines my distain for EnviroWackos and my love of chocolate in two short sentences. :)
"If only ol' Tommy would have run for Senate..."
I believe that he has another month of so before he has to announce running. Against, Kohl, of course. Kohl appears to be running scared this time, so maybe something is afoot? He's actually introducing legislation (something he's never done before) and is running TV spots and passing out DVDs showing what a "swell" guy he is.
This is the first time in my memory that he's actually being pro-active during a campaign season. You never hear a peep out of him, otherwise.
It's probably just wishful thinking on my part, but Kohl is not acting true to form.
"Wisconsin has a long history of open primaries that dates back to the progressive movement of Robert Lafollette in the early 1990s..."
Um, let's try 1900!
"Robert Marion LaFollette, (1855-1925), American political leader. A founder of the Progressive Movement, he was a spearhead for political reform in Wisconsin and the nation for 25 years. Unwilling to compromise on principle, "Fighting Bob" LaFollette earned the deep admiration of his supporters and the hatred of many foes. LaFollette was born in Primrose, Wis., on June 14, 1855. A farmer's son, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1879 and practiced law in Madison. In 1880 he defied a local political leader to win the office of district attorney. He then served (1885-1891) as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives."
http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/Lesson_66_Handout_Robert_LaFollette.htm
"I believe that he has another month of so before he has to announce running."
I believe that was the early "1890s", not "1990s".
Oh I thought the Tommy hopes were all but lost now, this is encouraging news! The last couple "what if" polls showed Tommy running even with Kohl, and he is the only guy to have done so. I hope he does run, and soon.
Yeah. Let's see, Johnson's votes ended at the broadcast perimeter...and he still won. Brilliant RPW strategy there. And then after Green beat Johnson in '98, Clinton put the idiot in charge of the U.S. Mint.
As a resident of the 8th, I'll vote Libertarian before I'll vote for Gard.
Hopefully, Terri McCormick will win the primary.
My thoughts exactly
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