It’s been speculated Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin is strongly considering a run in 2012 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Herb Kohl, who recently announced his retirement from the Senate. In addition to Rep. Baldwin, Democratic Rep. Ron Kind is also rumored to be considering a run for the seat currently held by Sen. Kohl, and a run for the U.S. Senate by either Baldwin or Kind in 2012 would result in no shortage of candidates clamoring to replace them in the House of Representatives. In Baldwin’s district, which votes heavily Democratic, one of those candidates may very well be Democratic State Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison
According to the Cap Times, if Rep. Baldwin does decide to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012, Rep. Pocan might very well vie for Baldwin’s open House seat.
“I am seriously considering a run for her congressional seat,” Pocan tells the Capital Times. “But it’s all in Tammy’s hands. She starts the domino effect.”
Though I’m obviously not privy to any inside knowledge about State Rep. Pocan’s intentions, I think it’s a dead-certain lock that he’ll run for Rep. Baldwin’s seat in the House should she decide to run for the United States Senate in 2012.
The Sconz says Kelda Roys and Jon Erpenbach(who i wish would have ran for US Senate) is looking at it also.
http://www.thedailypage.com/thesconz/article.php?article=33708
Mark Pocan is not the only state representative “seriously considering” a run for Congress. State Rep. Kelda Helen Roys told The Sconz she is also “seriously considering” it.
Roys, 31, is serving her second term in the Assembly, and represents a district that includes the North Side of Madison, the town of Burke and Waunakee. Before her election, she was the executive director of NARAL-Pro Choice Wisconsin, the abortion rights advocacy group.
Roys is 15 years younger than Pocan and 18 years younger than Jon Erpenbach, another likely candidate. If elected, she would be the youngest representative from the 2nd district since at least 1920. Roys, as you might expect, dismisses the notion that she lacks the experience necessary for the position.
It will be an interesting race!
I think Roys and Erpenbach are very dangerous for Pocan.
Pocan is a tough guy, and a lot of the insider money is on him. However, insider gambling on elections doesn’t always go super great. (Henry Sanders for LG, Scot Ross for SoS, 9 million other examples.)
Now I’m not going to compare his campaign structure to those campaign structures because it’s far too early for that. But if Pocan expects a walk he’ll be pretty disappointed.
Although Rep Kind would be the stronger statewide candidate for Senate, insuring a democrat won his seat would be more difficult that having a dem win Rep Baldwin’s seat. But I am not sure that Rep Baldwin can carry the state.
Yes, State Senator Erpanbach would make a strong US Senate candidate and I wish he would consider it.
The folks at PPP would disagree with you on that:
http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/05/feingold-would-be-favorite.html
Tammy leads all hypothetical matchups with Republicans except Thompson, where she trails by only one. Kind does not do much better, he only ties Thompson and has similar leads, so Kind is not necessarily the stronger candidate.
Yes this is only one poll, but it is instructive nevertheless.
Glame,
While tammy leads all hypothetical matchups with Republicans, except Thompson. Kind’s position v. Thompson is better and while it’s worse against other Rs (Why I don’t know) their positioning is well within the margin of error.
Instructive, I don’t think so.
Also, a poll is a snap shot in time. At this juncture, sure she’s on a high rise. However, she’s incredibly liberal (not a problem in my voting trends but the rest of the state isn’t the 2nd CD) and has never been hit in the mouth like she’s going to be in a statewide senate campaign.
The battle lines are drawn, and it will be the year 2012. If Tammy earns the nomination she will draw plenty of Democratic support. She has been a great representative of the 2nd district and she is really no more liberal than Russ.
I will still support Russ if he choses to run over Tammy but if he does not(and I do not think he will) then I will be one of Tammy’s biggest supporters! I can’t think of anyone in the state more deserving(including herbie)!
BY the way, how pissed will paul ryan be when the one seat he has coveted he cant get and it goes to Tammy Baldwin!!!
if we put a democrat in Ron Kinds seat when he leaves, it would be the first democrat in that seat since at least 1997…
LOL
Who is this Isaac Weix trying to get signatures to force a Dem primary in the 10th?
He’s a Republican who’s going to run as a Democrat in order to force a primary and give Sen. Harsdorf more time to defend her seat.