(Ex-Governor) Tommy Thompson (R, WI) Looms Large

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | May 13, 2006 | Phil Brinkman

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The suspense is killing me! I could totally live with a Thompson/Green for Governor campaign.

Insider note: I was asked to do a large mailing for the Green Campaign this week; it's been put on hold.

Tomorrow can't come fast enough for me! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Will He or Won't He?" Ping! :)

[flashbunny]

Thompson would be better used running for senate, and campaigning alongside green.

Still sucks that Walker had to drop out.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Still sucks that Walker had to drop out."

And it always will. But he'll get his Day In The Sun in Wisconsin politics, I'm sure. He's one of the Good Guys. It just wasn't his time, this time around. :(

I'd rather see Tommy in the Senate. Kohl is absolutely worthless, and Tommy could get so much done for our state, while kicking Feingold in the @ss every day, LOL! I'd love that, too.

Tommy's got a pretty big ego though and he HATES Doyle with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. Another Governorship would set him up for the Presidency later on, and Tommy is very loyal to Wisconsin. He can't NOT see that his brother, Ed, was the reason we're stuck with Doyle right now. He may want to right that wrong as well. He's not one for unfinished business.

[California Patriot]

We'd be better off if Thompson ran for Senate, but I don't think he will. He'll run for governor, and probably win.

Another potential Senate seat down the drain.

[Bahbah]

I'd rather see Tommy in the Senate. Kohl is absolutely worthless

Cheering you on from Missouri. It would be a service to the nation to get Kohl out of the Senate.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks, Bahbah! We'll do our best. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Your First Ping! :)

[commish]

What type of chance would Green have against Kohl, if Tommy were to announce for Governor and endorse Green for Senate?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Hmmmm...Green would probably have about an ice cube's chance in H#ll to make it into the Senate. Green has little name recognition, even in our state, and no where near the money that our Senior Confirmed Bachelor Senator has. ;) Senator Kohl is a multi-multi-millionaire. He's retired from the Kohl's Department Store ownership and he owns the Milwaukee Bucks Basketball team. He also put up a majority of the money for "The Kohl Center" in Madison, WI, which is the last construction project I worked on before I quit 'The Biz.' This is where UW Wisconsin Badger Basketball and Hockey are played, which are second only to our football team. It has HIS name on it. How much money and name recogition do you think worthless Senator Kohl has in our state? LOL!

[reformedliberal]

Do you think our vaunted National Committee would back Michels THIS time if he ran against old Herb? Tim is conservative.

BTW, I was called a few months ago to work for Green's campaign in our county and turned it down. He is colorless and I am not confident he can overcome the Doyle machine. I was a Walker backer and while the Green staffer I spoke with wasn't about to implicate the GOP in Scott's withdrawal, I see their fine hand in his lack of funding.

I could live with Tommy as Governor again and let Tim take on Kohl. It will depend on the RNC, IMO. They sandbagged Michels the last time around. Hopefully, they will see that it may be easier to beat Kohl than Finegold. Just how much actual time does Herb spend in the state, anyway?

[Ladysmith]

We've got the Big Guns focusing on unseating Doyle here. IMHO, Green should run for Governor and Thompson for Senate. Thompson has a better chance of beating Kohl, and with Wisconsin citizens ready to remove Doyle, Green can win the governorship. Thompson has had a taste of D.C., so he's more prepared for that than most here.

[reformedliberal]

Can you give me an idea of why you think Green can win the Governorship?

I detest Doyle. However, I do not underestimate his ability to play dirty and win by deceit and fraud.

I have heard that Tommy hated DC. I am not convinced he would return there willingly.

[Ladysmith]

NRA. Enough said. :o)

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I hate to pick nits here - but to be accurate Kohl and his brother separated from Kohl's before the department store was anything other than an appendage to the food stores. It got to be hugely successful after Herb and Sydney had no significant ownership interest (at least not more than the 5% the SEC would require public notice from.)

I see this as Thompson to defeat Kohl and to bring up turnout for someone else who can defeat Doyle. I think if Thompson returns to the Governorship - it's a little bit of wasted campaign potential - because few others could take on Kohl's wad of cash.

Back in the year before Bob Welch was running against Kohl in the '94 campaign - I visited with Welch and suggested that they shoot a man on the street interview series asking people to name 4 things Kohl had accomplished for Wisconsin. This would compile a lot of footage of people staring blankly into the camera and being stumped. The problem with Kohl is that every 6 years, for as long as he wants he has the cash to run incredible ad frequency and define himself by saturation advertising. Then, post election - he goes back to being Senator Nobody.

[AmishDude]

I was doing my run around Madison one morning for a conference and ran past the Kohl Center. It has a big "W" on it. I know it's supposed to stand for "Wisconsin", but I know better.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Personally, I'd like to see Tommy run for Senate--and allow the state to send us something other than two Dims to Washington.

Kohl needs to be put out to pasture. Unfortunately, the party leadership can't muster or inspire anyone with the chance of beating Nobody's Senator. It's clear Tommy can wipe the floor with Kohl. And there's virtually no one to run against him. An easy victory.

We have Green running for the governorship--creating opposition on our side race at this point is going to wear down everyone involved, and that is exactly what Doyle/WEAC/Trial Lawyers, etc. want. They want us to be divided.

Tommy might be able to survive such a situation. But he certainly won't be as invincible as he was when he served as Governor.

[steveegg]

Do you think our vaunted National Committee would back Michels THIS time if he ran against old Herb? Tim is conservative.

You just answered your own question. Not a chance. That dynamic on the state level is what shoved Scott Walker out of the race and certainly appears to be shoving Mark Green to the curb.

[July 4th]

Tommy is the crusher of Wisconsin politics. One step forward, and all politicians in his path are flattened. Provided it's Doyle or Kohl, that's a good thing.