Run for the State Assembly

2006 has the potential to being the perfect storm for electing new faces to the state legislature.

First, several polls have shown the lowest polling for state legislative incumbents ever (well, within my adult memory anyway). People don’t necessarily like incumbent legislators this year. The GOP gets that. Their defacto-leader, Rep. Mike Huebsch, has told his members to run like it is their first time. It is NOT a good year for incumbents, especially GOP ones.

Second, every Republican member of the Assembly voted to kill ethics reform. Some just did it more than others. Following a period of unprecedented scandal, simply ignoring that people want to clean up the State Capitol is equal to political suicide. The GOP members are going to have to justify their votes in order to get the publics’ votes. I don’t think they can spin that hard or fast.

Finally, the issues that were voted on this past legislative session favor the Democrats. It was the Democrats who brought down the state deficit, fought for health care and fully funded K-12 education. It was the GOP that wanted to ban stem cell research and birth control, allow pharmacists to refuse to fill your prescription and in general, please only the most extreme right wing of the state. Soccer moms and Nascar dads are not right wing ideologues. That just want what’s best for their families, and so do Democrats.

So take the powerful mix of those three plus key votes on more, and suddenly it is a terrible year to be a GOP incumbent.

Democrats are running aggressively for the legislature across the state. However, a few holes do need to be filled to ensure the largest number of Democrats running EVER. All it takes is collecting 200 signatures on nomination papers, due next Tuesday (7/11). Wanna run?

Here is where we still need Democrats: (Link to maps of districts)

District 2 - Incumbent Frank Lasee: Lasee is one of the most conservative members of the legislature, the true intellectual father of TABOR. Allowing Lasee a free ride ensures he works actively in the greater Green Bay/Fox Valley area for other Republicans. There is an easy contrast to his politics (close to those of Rush Limbaugh) and everyone else in the district. RUN.

District 21 - Incumbent Mark Honadel: This southern Milwaukee area district was previously represented by Democrat Jeff Plale before he was elected to the state senate. It is truly a swing district where someone who supports Democratic values can and will get elected. Honadel was recently elected to a GOP leadership post, ensuring his assistance to other Republicans statewide.

District 24 - Incumbent Sue Jeskowitz: I like Sue personally. But the GOP has backed her into a bad corner. As a more moderate Republican, they threaten her with primaries to make here drink the GOP conservative kool-aid. And she drinks it. Let’s remind Sue that her more moderate belief system is better for the district by showing her people really do support our values.

District 27 - Incumbent Steve Kestell: Kestell is part of the conservative cookie-cutter mold of most members of their caucus. Strongly anti-choice, he was the author of the bill to ban scientific cloning. He recently lost to Honadel for that leadership post, meaning he will work harder to elect GOPpers to win a leadership post in the future. He needs to be kept busy.

District 35 - Incumbent Don Friske: Friske represents part of northern Wisconsin that has had Democratic representation in the past. While Friske is not a fire-breathing right winger, he does vote with the conservative element too often. A competitive district like this should not go unchallenged.

District 39 - Incumbent Jeff Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald is the brother of Senator Scott Fitzgerald. He is a conservative who plans on running the GOP campaign operation along with Mike Huebsch. Keeping him busy and at home is priority one. Unchallenged, he will be one of the most active members of the GOP caucus, helping reelect their members. IMPORTANT to challenge him.

District 52 - Incumbent John Townsend: Townsend is a nice guy who votes wrong too often. The district was once held by Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager. We can certainly find a Democrat to run and voice support for progressive values, right?

District 53 - Incumbent Carol Owens: Anyone from the Fox Valley probably knows the legislative history of Owens. She is homophobic, refers to “coloreds” in Milwaukee and much more. Owens need s to get out and campaign to hold her seat, but that will only happen if a Democrat runs. Run please.

District 58 - Incumbent Pat Strachota: As a freshman legislator, this is one of the best times to take out an incumbent. Add that to her voting record and this Wend Bend area representative will have to work hard to get reelected. Any challengers?

District 59 - Incumbent Dan Lemahieu: Lemahieu is one of the most anti-choice incumbents the legislature has. He led the fight to ban birth control access. Surely, there has to be a better alternative for this eastern Wisconsin district.

District 60 - Incumbent Mark Gottlieb: Gottlieb is an up-and-comer with potential to be a GOP Speaker of the Assembly someday. That is unless we challenge him today. The Port Washington area should be able to field a candidate who can challenge Gottlieb on the issues…and win.

District 66 - Incumbent Samantha Kerkman: Kerkman is a cookie-cutter GOP member, representing part of my home county (Kenosha) that is far more mainstream than she. We need to find a real challenger to make her vote in a more moderate manor, or lose clinging to her conservative views. This area was once represented by Democrat Mary Wagner (Malloy). Let’s find a candidate.

District 82 - Incumbent Jeff Stone: Stone is hardly the most in-your-face conservative, but he is ambitious and would likely run for Milwaukee County Executive someday. In a district that is far more Democratic than he represents, a solid candidate could give Stone a run for his money. Surely Milwaukee Dems can recruit someone.

District 99 - Incumbent Don Pridemore: I don’t mean this to be rude, but I know nothing of this freshman legislator who beat a more moderate Republican incumbent. Well, other than that this year could mean a hard run for Pridemore. Let him know he does not represent the values of the 99th.

There you go. Every other district has a Democratic challenger. Can we make this the best year ever for Dems? With your help yes.

To my lefty blogging friends, please circulate this message in your area. We have one week to find candidates in these areas. We need YOUR help in not only getting the word out, but showing the blog-o-sphere is a force to be reckoned with.


If you want to contact me about this, please do. My email is markpocan@tds.net. I’d love to discuss more. Better yet, contact the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee directly at 608-258-9225. Ask for Jim Smith.

Let’s have a GREAT Democratic year!!!!!