Farrow decides not to run against Feingold

Waukesha Freeman ^ | June 27, 2003 | Dennis A. Shook

[codercpc]

I love Mark Green. I wish he would change his mind.

Having said that, Robert Welch is my second choice. He is tough, and won't take any crap from Feingold. If he is the candidate I have already volunteered for his campaign. I don't know anything about Finley so I cant comment on him.

I think its time to email Mark Green again and beg him to run. He is so popular in Mid Wisconsin. In fact I saw him on Sunday at the Stadium View in Green Bay during a "welcome Home the Troops" mini rally, and he was surrounded with people. He is also extremely good looking, which always helps.

[Catspaw]

Sigh. I have to agree with you about being underwhelmed.

My congressman, Mark Green, took his name out of the running a while ago.

[Trust but Verify]

Both Green and Ryan are up-and-comers. Either would make an excellent opponent for Russell. Welch is OK. Farrow is no loss. I don't get the Michels thing.

So he has $$. As Mark Belling would say, "Whoopty doggone do!"

[Catspaw]

I think Green is angling for the senate, but not yet. I think he'll run for Kohl's seat.

[JohnnyZ]

I think Green is angling for the senate, but not yet.

Supposedly he already has a campaign for governor planned out. He won the straw poll for guv at the WI GOP convention.

Of course a lot depends on what Tommy "I'm getting back into politics -- at some point" Thompson decides to do, as some think he wants another term as governor. He'd be perfect against Kohl.

[fieldmarshaldj]

WI Senate race *ping*

I have to admit I'm a bit underwhelmed, also, by the choices. I sorta liked Farrow, who was a Conservative from what I understand, but I can also understand that being almost 70, she doesn't want to spend her golden years campaigning for what will surely be a difficult race. I'm not sure Welch is a good idea, he lost by 17% to Kohl in the excellent '94 GOP year. Finley looks OK, but as Dan pointed out, that's a big jump. But that "magic" candidate just isn't there, it seems. I dunno, it seems like the state hasn't had a really "great" Senator since McCarthy died in '57... :-P

To Coop: Hope this was OK to ping you on, since it met your criteria for a major candidate in a major race. :-)

[JohnnyZ]

Geez, DJ, I already pinged everybody under the sun!

Dan Finley seems just as good as David Walker, one of the other candidates previously considered first tier. And I wouldn't be too quick to hold that primary loss agaist Tim Michels. (I like how one person described his 70-30 loss as nearly "3-1"; that's more than a bit of a stretch!)

Very few people seem to want Welch to run, it seems, even among the people supporting him. They look around and see the "hm, we need someone besides Welch" attitude and are all, "is it worth it?"

Other scuttlebutt has the primary being contested between Welch, Finley, and either David Magnum or Tim Michels. I think that would be healthy.

[Catspaw]

Tommy's the wild card. Does he want to be guv again? Will he run for the senate? He's like the giant elephant in the room (pun intended).

[JohnnyZ]

Have y'all checked out this blog? Very funny, very cute:

Harbath's Tirade, by Katie Harbath.

If she isn't a FReeper yet, she should be . . .

[Impy]

"Geez, DJ, I already pinged everybody under the sun!"

Hey I'm under the sun you didn't ping me. :)

I think that county is called "Dane" not "Kane" at least according to http://www.naco.org/ .

I've very dissappointed with Wisconsin. Don't they realize Feingold is VERY beatable? Are they afraid of Mr. CFR?

[JohnnyZ]

Hey I'm under the sun you didn't ping me. :)

That's 'cause you don't read my posts (see #9)

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Geez, DJ, I already pinged everybody under the sun!"

Heh, well... I can't see beyond the 5th or 6th pinged name. :-P

"Dan Finley seems just as good as David Walker, one of the other candidates previously considered first tier. And I wouldn't be too quick to hold that primary loss agaist Tim Michels. (I like how one person described his 70-30 loss as nearly "3-1"; that's more than a bit of a stretch!)"

I should be partial to Finley, since he's a Pewaukee resident, I have historical roots in Waukesha County (ancestors who were active in politics in the 19th century, one had the audacity to hold a local office as a Democrat, when the county was even more Republican than it is now, but he was an honest one and the local GOP liked him ! :-)). My father grew up in adjacent Oconomowoc.

"Very few people seem to want Welch to run, it seems, even among the people supporting him. They look around and see the "hm, we need someone besides Welch" attitude and are all, "is it worth it?""

Yeah, it's just hard to get past his '94 performance, although in all fairness, it was his lack of money that was the real problem.

"Other scuttlebutt has the primary being contested between Welch, Finley, and either David Magnum or Tim Michels. I think that would be healthy."

The question is whether whomever emerges, will they be the Jim Durkin of this cycle ? :-|

[fieldmarshaldj]

Will Feingold stoop to the dirty tricks he used in '98, such as that plant (young girl) he had in the audience at a debate who "cried" when claiming Neumann was "mean" to her in an answer. The 'Rats stop at nothing to win... So it begs the question, when are we gonna copy them at it ? ;-)

[Impy]

I did read that!! :)

I'm saying I think Dane is actually the real name. Maybe they changed it from Kane.

Their official website is Dane too.

http://www.co.dane.wi.us/

[Pubbie]

"Tim Michels needs to go for a local office IMO."

Actually I think Michels would be good because:

1) He can self finance
2) Although he lost his only race, he was all by himself against an entrenched incumbent in a strong GOP area, this time he'll have the full support of the local and national GOP political machine.
3) Because of this local and National party support, he can hire the best advisers, so his performance should be better than original shot at office.
4) He's a veteran, which will help him highlight Feingold's anti-military voting record.

What do you think DJ?

[Impy]

That's the biggest problem we have. The rats play HARDBALL always. We must fight fire with fire. Like calling Max Cleland on his position with the unions and the homeland security bill. We burned him and he LOST.

[Pubbie]

And anyway, I think even a mediocre candidate could take down Feingold!

[Pubbie]

I agree!

Do what Saxby Chambliss did ie Tell the Truth about the Rat's extreme liberal voting record 24/7, and don't let ANYONE forget about it!

[codercpc]

I also think that Feingold is extremely beatable. I think Wisconsin is the State that is slipping under the radar.

We have been moving closer and closer to being a "Republican" State. Look at the last election. We now control both houses. DiamondJim Doyle only won because McCallum was a weak candidate, and Ed Thompson got more than 10% of the vote.

I also think that Bush is extremely popular in the State (haven't seen any polls lately), that I think he will take Wisconsin, and hopefully bring whoever our candidate is along for the ride. We already know that President Bush sees Wisconsin as a battleground so we know he will be here quite a bit (kind of like 2000), and if he campaigns with our chosen candidate there is a chance.

[Pubbie]

"I also think that Feingold is extremely beatable."

Right, we don't need a GOP superstar like Condi Rice or Rudy Guiliani to take this seat.

Also, Bush only lost WI by 5,000 votes, and he'll probably carry the state easily, and the coat tails should push Michels over the top.