Posted on 06/27/2003 1:19:06 PM PDT by JohnnyZ
Former lieutenant governor sees other strong candidates
CITY OF PEWAUKEE - Former Lt. Gov. Margaret Farrow said today she will not be a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for U.S. Senate. At the recent GOP convention, Farrow won a straw poll on who would be the best candidate to face incumbent U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.
Farrow told the Freeman this morning she is going to dedicate her time to employment in either the private or nonprofit sector.
"After 27 years in politics, this race is basically not what I should be doing right now," said Farrow, 68.
She was a state senator from 1989 until 2001, when then Gov. Scott McCallum pegged her to succeed him as lieutenant governor. She was the first woman to hold the post.
Farrow also was in the state Assembly from 1986 to 1989, after beginning her career in local government as trustee and president of the Elm Grove Village Board from 1981 to 1987.
Farrow denied she was declining to run because she had her sights on any other political position. Many supporters have said she should run for governor in 2006.
"This would mean a year and a half behind the wheel of a car in a campaign," she said. Farrow just completed nearly a year of campaigning for re-election with McCallum. "It would also mean spending six years in Washington, D.C."
Farrow said she believes she can work best on issues that concern her while living in Wisconsin.
"I believe we have plenty of qualified candidates," Farrow said. She acknowledged among those are Waukesha County Executive Daniel Finley, businessman Tim Michels, and state Sen. Robert Welch, R-Redgranite.
"Russ Feingold is beatable and should be beaten," said Farrow, a former state Senate colleague with the junior U.S. senator. "His stands on issues like opposing a ban on partial birth abortion and being against anti-terrorism measures are out of step with the voters in Wisconsin.
"I am very confident we will find a strong candidate," she said.
Oh c'mon, Katie, don't you think I already read about that article here? ;)
Screw Tommy. He was always a political hack, albeit a popular one. However, his lack of adequate succession planning (eg developing McCallum as a viable candidate) and his brother's pointless run basically cost us the Governor's Mansion last year - And I don't buy for a second that Tommy could not talk Ed out of running. Make no mistake - We are saddled with Bingo Doyle as a direct result of Tommy's actions.
Oh, I basically agree. There's no need for him to be running for gov again, though he would be good against Kohl (though I'm not 100% on board with his ideology). But in terms of political reality he'll get the nod for whatever GOP nomination he wants.
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