Posted in Announcements, Wisconsin Politics

Yeah, what he said (or rather, why I support Mike Tate for DPW Chair)

   December 15, 2010

Let’s just make one thing abundantly clear: 2010 was a bad year for Democrats across the nation, and Wisconsin was no exception. To say the 2010 elections were a bloodbath for Democrats would be an understatement, and while some (including our very own Proud Progressive) have laid blame on Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate, I’m not drinking that Kool-Aid. As Cory rightly notes over at Eye On Wisconsin, while 2010 was a bad year for Democrats here in Wisconsin, there are a lot of reasons why Mike Tate should have another opportunity to serve as DPW Chair:

  • $5.4 million was raised for the Democratic coordinated campaign.
  • 2.4 million phone calls were made and 1.3 million doors were knocked on by party volunteers. In fact, Wisconsin Democrats filled more shifts this fall than any other state party in the nation.
  • 214 Full-time staff were on the payroll and were working in 54 offices statewide.
  • Outreach to students was successful, with students making up 15.5% of the electorate in Wisconsin – the highest number in the country.
  • DPW has ZERO DEBT coming out of this mid-term election.
  • The number of paid party members is quickly approaching its highest level in 20 years.
  • Membership revenue has increased by 81.75% from 2009.

I know Mike Tate will be a convenient scapegoat for the drubbing Democrats in Wisconsin took at the polls this year, but I’m of the belief that based on the facts cited above, Tate deserves another term as the Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

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12 thoughts on “Yeah, what he said (or rather, why I support Mike Tate for DPW Chair)”

  1. As someone who admittedly 1. does not support mike tate for re-election and 2. does not know how the inner workings of the democratic party yet, I have a question. Where was Mike Tate tonight? I know he is not an elected official, but he is ahead of the democratic party. Was he on the phone with Plale and Decker explaining how they can kiss any future democratic support if the turn on the party tonight? If that is not in his job description…why not?

    1. PP, I don’t think Russ Decker and Jeff Plale care about getting future Democratic support; their votes tonight were all about ingratiating themselves with Scott Walker, who’ll no doubt be their boss soon enough.

      There isn’t a damn thing Mike Tate could have done to change their minds.

      1. Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, criticized Republicans for their votes but laid a special fury on Decker.

        “He’ll never ever hold a seat as a Democrat (again),” Beil said of Decker.
        – JSOnline.com

        AFSCME Council 24 exec director Marty Beil, who is in the Capitol today to follow the vote on public employee contracts, had a very concise statement about his feelings on the outcome.

        “Decker’s a whore,” he said.
        – WisPolitics.com

          1. And… that moniker of “union thug” you seem to detest so much is proven true time and again by Mr. Beil.

          2. Well, I was going for more of just supporting your statement about not having a future in the Democratic Party – at least if Marty Beil has anything to do with it.

            But now that forgot mentions it, that sort of rhetoric is at least boorish, if not thuggish.

            1. What should Marty Beil say when someone who his mmebers vehemently supported, as his last act as an elected official, stab them in the back?

              I was kind of advocating tate doing this behind the scenes.

            2. What should Marty Beil say when someone who his members vehemently supported, as his last act as an elected official, stab them in the back?

              I was kind of advocating tate doing this behind the scenes.

  2. Maybe so, but as we have seen time and time again, the repubs will leave them off the guest list as soon as they start to serve no purpose.

    I was just curious if that is something he either did or should of done.

  4. I don’t think Tate should be re-elected.

    First,The coordinated campaign was anything but. The were focused on two people – Barrett and Feingold. They didn’t give much of a damn about other candidates.

    Secondly, They hired people from out of state instead of local people who knew the lay of the land.

    I participated in the calling centers and it was quite pointless. Calling the same numbers over and over at a time of day when people weren’t at home.

    The republicans had a simple message. Less government, less taxes.”. The Dems had no message – the cardinal sin of campaigning.

    As an insider it was obvious this campaign was all about tactics and no strategy. We got what deserved.

    In California the Dems won because of leadership. While Tate’s heart is in the right place he is a bit out of his league. We need a new State Chair.

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