I’ll admit it; I’ve been guilty of labeling Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ron Johnson as the “Tea Party” candidate, given Johnson’s appearances at two Tea Party rallies before he declared himself a candidate for the Senate, but in a statement issued on Wednesday, a coalition of Tea Party groups made it clear they’re not formally backing either of the Republicans running for the Senate.
“In fact, the coalition of Tea Party/Patriot groups in Wisconsin has not endorsed any candidate in any race,” the statement read. “Nor does it align with any political party.”
Kirsten Lombard of the Wisconsin 9/12 Project said she and other coalition members simply don’t know where Johnson stands on most issues.
“None of us in the coalition have had the time to vet him,” she said.
It’ll be interesting to see if either of the two remaining Republicans running for the Senate are able to sew up the support and endorsement of the tea party movement, especially in the case of Dave Westlake, because the backing of the state’s various Tea Party organizations would no doubt help Westlake counteract Ron Johnson’s very deep pockets (which I hear are even deeper than Terrence Wall’s).
The Tea Party is probably figuring out that an actual endorsement, while helpful in a Republican primary, could be the kiss of death for a candidate in a general election.
Yeah but Johnson isn’t running and didn’t get the RPW endorsement because he’s rich. He’s doing it because of freedom, assault on our liberties, or something. I swear.
FREEDOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!
Oh a supposed assault on liberties huh? I think a good number of liberals ran on that premise during the Bush years. Good to know you are back to belittling that line of thought.
The tea party has confused “assault on our liberties” with “more access to health care.” That’s a big difference from the invasions of the Patriot Act.
Funny thing about the whole, “health care reform will take away my freedom to choose” or that “health care reform will force me to change plans;” I asked the individual who administers my health care plan if I’ll have to switch because of HCR and I was told I absolutely would not have to switch.
By the logic of the folks who equate health care reform with a loss of freedom, I wonder if they say the same thing about Social Security, unemployment compensation, Medicare, and Medicaid. Are all those programs an assault on our freedoms as well?
You say it as if there was only one way to achieve healthcare reform. I was completely in favor of reform, just not the debacle that passed.
I like your argument “I asked the individual…” Like your sole case is representative of the whole. Even Obama said some people won’t get to keep what they have.
As for the assault on liberty; the mere passing of that bill was an assault on liberty. The majority of American’s didn’t want it but it was passed. There was no transparency, Congressman had to be bought one way or another, and noone read the damn thing. The same thing cannot be said about SS, unemployment, Medicare, and Medicaid.
I can go on and on about how the actual content of bill screws people over(read assault on liberies) to fund a new entitlement, but we already know the arguments on both sides.
Just so we’re clear, I don’t believe the health care reform legislation that was signed into law was the best way to go about effecting health care reform; I believe there were far less complicated ways of going about it.
Sorry folks…you are misinformed. MANY in the TEA party like Ron Johnson. He identifies with us. A handful of people do NOT speak for us all!!! Johnson is on the same side and not the enemy.
The PR also states that TEA does not endorse candidates. It does not claim that Ron is or is not a preferred candidate! Ever heard the phrase…delusions of grandeur?
For some reason, I just don’t see Ron Johnson as being more favored by the folks in the various Tea Party groups than Dave Westlake.
I think everyone missed the fact that Mr. Johnson feels comfortable in the proverbial smoke filled rooms and cut whatever deal to get the party endorsement. That alone should have been the kiss of death for his affiliation with the Tea Party movement. It certainly opened the eyes of Terry Wall and Dick Leinenkugel to the point that they knew when they were beat. Mr. Westlake wasn’t actually looking for nor expecting the party endorsement. He is as grass roots as they come right down his core. Not sure if he has the wherewithal to overcome the party machine but he is going to have them second guessing themselves before this thing is over.
For the umpteenth time, Johnson getting the endorsement had nothing to do with backroom deals or anything nefarious. It was pragmatism, plain and simple. Occam’s Razor. Wall was unelectable for this office this term. The tax issue just won’t fly right now, especially facing an experienced guy like Feingold who would use it to bury him. Leinenkugel just could not or would not distance himself from Doyle and given just how disastrous & reviled Doyle’s administration was, that was a killer. So it was endorse the little engine that could in Westlake or roll the dice with Johnson who at least had the money to contend.
For the umpteenth time? LOL! I wrote my post a week ago and don’t remember repeating myself since then…but I do still think he’s a consummate politician, not the breath of fresh air that one would hope for.
btw: I suggested on this blog site how Dickie could have distanced himself from Doyle without denying his role in the administration. But his people obviously don’t read this site.
Dave Westlake is a non-factor in the Senate race and he knows it. There was no secret deal to get Johnson over the top at the Republican convention. There is no significant difference between them idealogicaly..and if there is Westlake has no way to get that message out to voters who he will need to win the primary.
I know, and have met, and like both of these guys. There is NO WAY Dave can bring it home! Mark Neumann has money and he still can’t knock down Walker. Dave the sooner you do the right thing and go run for a race you can win, the better off you will be. Plan a run for Congress against Petri this time or Sensenbrenner in 2012. Petri needs a challenge from the “Right”. (You could actually make the TEA Party argument there). Congressman Dave Westlake sounds pretty good! Based on all the Madison Press and blog support your getting Dave it looks like you could expect some tremendous help from The Cap times, Blogging Blue and Wisc State Journal! Those are the very reasons I can use to talk to anyone thinking about supporting Dave for Senate. If all of his supporters are the “lefty” press, it merely means they’d rather take on Dave instead of Ron Johnson.
Yes I would rather have Mr. Westlake over Mr. Johnson…but not for the reason you stated…if Mr. Feingold were to lose to his Republican challenger, I trust Mr. Westlake to do what he thinks is in the best interest of the nation and Wisconsin…while I don’t trust Mr. Johnson to do anything but support the entrenched status quo.
I’d rather see Westlake be the Republican Senate nominee for the simple reason that we’d have a far less negative general election than if Ron Johnson were the Republican nominee.