Posted on 04/30/2012 1:41:59 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Updated: 1:48 p.m. | Kip Smith, a Rhinelander physical therapist who entered the U.S. Senate race as a longshot Republican on a platform dedicated to cutting spending and repealing the Affordable Care Act, is dropping out.
Smith will formally announce his exit from the race on Tuesday in front of the Oneida County Courthouse at 10 a.m. in Rhinelander.
In a statement released Monday, Smith said "my decision is based mostly on the difficulty in raising the funds necessary to continue this mission. We have brought forth an amazing campaign on a true 'shoestring' budget. I cannot, however, continue this campaign and risk the financial future of my family."
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Wisconsin US Senate Candidate Exits Wisconsin Race ping
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list. The field narrows a bit.
How do you think it’s shaping up among Neumann, Hovde, and Thompson?
I was shocked yesterday at the Ozaukee County Lincoln Day Brunch to see Tommy Thompson walk away with the straw poll victory (about 30+%). His speech was an angry tirade.
Erik Hovde took 2nd, I think Neumann was 3rd, and fitzgerald was 4th.
IMHO, Fitzgerald gave the best speech. I just don’t know where he’s going to get the money, however. All of our money is going to Scott Walker right now to fight this recall. I was surprised to see Tommy show up. He hasn’t showed up to anything else.
I was flipping back and forth in my mind between Hovde and Fitzgerald and finally cast my ballot for Hovde with some misgivings because I really like Fitzgerald.
BTW, I really hate the way we run our Primaries for State Office in WI. They are so late in the game (August) that it gives no time for the ultimate winner of the Primary to campaign for the General. And August is earlier than it used to be. It used to be Septemeber. By then the candidates had used up all their money while the Dem sits there smugly on his/her cash and then swoops in and slaughters the Republican with cash and lies.
I just hate it, but I’ve had no luck persuading any state official that I know to introduce a Bill changing it. Like always having the Primary in June, or May.
Thanks, good report. I’m not a Wisconsinite, but I hope for the sake of all of us that Thompson doesn’t end up with it.
This is JMHO, but I think Thompson’s win in the straw poll yesterday was influenced by his long history with Ozaukee County. Plus, it was one of his lackeys who was counting the votes, and I wouldn’t put it past them to slip a few extra ballots in the pile. He didn’t win by much.
Plus, the average age of the crowd was around 65-70. They’ve known Tommy for years. But, I thought his speech was loud, angry, and deceptive. He didn’t bother to mention, FWIW, that he backs ethynol, the concept of global warming, cap & trade, and Obamacare. All the people in that room are against all of those things, but their eyes glazed over remembering the glory days when Tommy was the most conservative thing going in WI.
My thoughts exactly, AFTR. His heart's in the right place; He just had nowhere near the resources necessary to run a senate campaign.
Lynn Adelman would be at the top of those questionable (bad) judicial appointments.
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