T. Wall Drops Out; Feingold Left With Opponents With Even Less Political Experience

It looks like developer Terrence Wall won't chance another political defeat, and is dropping out of the Republican primary race. Ron Johnson, the Great Hope from the "Tea Party" wing of the Wisconsin Republican Party, now looks like the easy winner of the primary, unless Dave Westlake's blaze orange army rises up and bites Johnson's ankles. Last week, of course, Dick Leinenkugel did the right thing by the GOP and dropped out, having been tainted by the Democrat cooties he picked up from his service as Commerce secretary in the Doyle (gasp!) administration.

T. Wall's tax avoidance pumpkin farm could have been a liability in the general election, but probably helped him win the hearts of some of the Republican faithful. However, the piddly 18% he managed to attract at the Wisconsin Republican convention last week probably reminded Wall of the two times his neighbors in Maple Bluff decided others would serve them better on the Village Board, and he came in last. Or the time the Village Board decided (4-1) not to appoint him to an open seat. But at least Wall's actually thought about holding public office, even if voters decided it was not such a good idea.

So we're left with a guy who made lots of money in plastics and has never run for or held public office, but can spend lots of his cash on advertising trying to convince Wisconsin voters not to like Russ Feingold, and a guy who didn't make lots of money and has never run for or held public office, but dresses in a way that reminds voters of deer hunting. 

I still like Russ Feingold, his record, and his chances for re-election. It's good that there won't be two inexperienced rich guys dumping money into absurd Feingold-bashing advertising in the primary; just one will be doing it in the general.

- Barry Orton

Comments

[David Blaska]

"we're left with a guy who made lots of money in plastics and has never run for or held public office, but can spend lots of his cash on advertising ..." You mean, like Herb Kohl?

[Barry Orton]

Yes, except that Senator Kohl has a bit of political experience. He chaired the Wisconsin Democratic Party (1975 - 1977) and has been elected every six years since 1988. Other than that you're right.

[David Blaska]

Barry, my man, let's stay on topic. When Herb Kohl was first elected senator, what public office had he run for or held? Chairing a political party is not a public office. Political parties are private organizations.

[Barry Orton]

Sure, Dave, whatever you say. Reince Priebus and his buddies, who belong to a private organization called the Wisconsin Republican Party, chose their candidates for Senate and Governor last week and the other suckers who think they may want to run for political office as Republicans can start their own private organizations. Good luck with that, Mr. Neumann and Mr. Westlake.

It will be real interesting to watch Ron Johnson handle sudden political fame. Sooner or later he'll have to face more critical groups than "Tea Party" rallies and friendly radio talkers. A real primary might have seasoned him some; when the first real election he faces is the general, that's like throwing a high school phenom into the majors without any minor league seasoning. Even a losing Village Board race or two in his past would have been helpful.

When Herb Kohl first ran for the Senate in 1988, he won a real primary, beating Tony Earl (and Ed Garvey and Doug La Follette). The experience helped him beat Susan Engeleiter (a class act, BTW) by only 5 points. No one's come close to beating Herb since.

(Cue Blaska for snarky Ed Garvey and/or Doug La Follette rejoinder.)

[David Blaska]

I thought you were a university professor. Where did I get that idea? BTW: Rance Priebus must have a lot of buddies, like 1,700 of them. But then, you are at a disadvantage. You've never heard or talked to Ron Johnson; I have. He'll be all Russ can handle and more. Another BTW: Russ Feingold truly is a class act and I've told him to his face. I'll leave the snark to you.

[John Foust]

Or we could try to hunt for substance in one of Johnson's speeches:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0myzk_I3lA

Even over at Boots & Sabers, a conservative blog, they're waiting for Johnson to show some substance they can latch to.

[antpoppa]

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
Ron Johnson and the Ron Johnson’s Campaign understand the corporate success strategy. He understands the art of a planned heist, he’ll steal your heart.
I’ll be looking forward to an upcoming romantic relationship with Mr. Ron Johnson. There will be the Assessment of Feingold’s strengths, weak spots and vulnerabilities. Then the Assessment of my needs and learning what buttons to push. The Manipulation of my likes and dislikes, with Feingold’s motives, and weaknesses exploited.
Through this comes The Message, done in a confident, aggressive style, repeated over and over again with vague, flowery rhetoric, patriotic jargon, deliberately masking a lack of substance and insight. Ron Johnson has to be free to don many masks with his superficial, convincing verbal fluency.
Finally, Abandonment, where Ron has accomplished his game plan and moves on to other victims to advance his game.