So the results are in, and it looks like tonight was a great night for progressives here in the Milwaukee area.
- Mandela Barnes beat incumbent Democrat Jason Fields for Assembly seat 11
- Evan Goyke won in an 8 person field for open Assembly seat 18
- Danny Riemer beat incumbent Democrat Peggy Krusick for Assembly seat 7
- Sandy Pasch beat back a nasty race-baiting campaign against the hand-picked Lena Taylor/Beth Coggs candidate to win Assembly seat 10
So here are my thoughts: clearly tonight was a good night for real progressives here in the Milwaukee area, while it was a terrible night for the Taylor-Coggs-Fields “win at any costs” cabal that not only played the race card to try to win elections but also welcomed support from a right-wing group associated with disgraced and convicted former Republican Speaker of the Assembly Scott Jensen.
I guess the moral of the story when it comes to the failed campaigns of Jason Fields, Elizabeth Coggs, Jarrett Fields, and Millie Coby is elections are won and lost through hard work and good ideas, not through race-baiting and a reliance on the generosity of Scott Jensen.
In other primary-related news, Mark Pocan prevailed over Kelda Roys in the Democratic primary in the 2nd Congressional district, all but assuring Pocan will be that district’s next Congressman. While I expected Pocan to win by a big margin, I didn’t expect him to win by the margin he currently has (73% to Roys’ 21% as I write this).
This is great news if it all holds up. Standing up to the scumbag voucher and race-based lobby and instead putting in real progressives is a long time overdue in Milwaukee. This might also allow the Legislative contingent in that area to finally get the respect that area of the state deserves (but did not have) in the Dem caucus, cause the seat-fillers that existed beforehand sure didn’t have it. Chris Larson started the purge of this scum by blowing out Jeff Plale in 2010, and it’s really hit full-force tonight. Great news for the state as a whole, as we need a strong, progressive Milwaukee.
And also cool to see Pocan not just win, but win big. Kelda really hurt herself by trying to attack the real deal like Mark, and hopefully she learns something from this, and runs aggressive but smart campaigns in her future. And yes, I do think Kelda has a strong future if she chooses to act like an adult in future campaigns.
Oh, and don’t let me leave out the Dan Riemer win. Peggy Krusick deserves the loss after that pandering to the GOP on that stupid reverse-PC bill promoted by WisGOP that she decided to lend her name to. Leave that “Archie Bunker” Dem type in the 20th Century where they belong.
In the 37th, John Jagler won the GOP nod easily over 4 opponents, with Mary Arnold likely to win the Dem race. Sadly, this means that Jagler, former propagandist and FitzWalker lap dog, will win easy election for the seat in November. I don’t even think the inevitable indictment of Walker will derail Jagler.
What’s so sad is that Jagler explicitly and openly ran on Walker’s record, and he’s still winning big. Sigh.
Hate to break the bubble but Sandy Pasch LOST her primary, coming in a distant second.
Well, I have egg on my face. The voting flipped when the “white” precincts reported. What this tells me is that the white voters chose Pasch by an even greater majority than black voters chose a black candidate. The whites voted for someone who lloked like themselves.
Or perhaps they voted for someone who they were familiar with, considering Sandy did represent them as a member of the Assembly.
Or perhaps you’re right and they took Elizabeth Coggs’ advice, but if that’s the case, then perhaps Elizabeth Coggs shouldn’t have said something so stupid.
There’s a big difference between racism in the South and in the North. In the South, they’ll just say what they are doing and why they are doing it. In the North, racism is hidden behind a veil of “correctness.” All Elizabeth Coggs did was stand-up for her community. If you think for a second that one of the goal behind redistricting wasn’t to get rid of a few brown people, you’re very naive. Eight African-American elected officials down’ to five. The only way there will ever be equal rights is for there to be more diversity in elected bodies. I know you mean well, and E Coggs comments violated your sense of fairness. You guys took out someone who does a lot of constituent service to prove a point. You guys also took out someone whose story IS the success you hope for people who struggle to elect a wealthy white woman, who maybe, can be educated that black-male unemployment is a huge problem. That will never be her focus. Great. Thanks for further pitting Milwaukee against the rest of the state in the name of electing “progressives.”
Since Lee Atwater fashioned the GOP’s southern strategy “God, guns, and gays,” along with other “wedge” issues, the GOP has succeeded in pitting us against one another. They lubricate that strategy with money, of which they have a never ending supply. Rep. Coggs was a recipient of some of it.
“Supervisor Harris Slams Rep. Coggs For Accepting Right Wing $$$”
http://themilwaukeedrum.com/tag/elizabeth-coggs/
Regardless, your comment still contains cautions that imho we all have to heed.
continued below
I had problems with the spam filters so I’m splitting this.
Continued from above
I would never encourage anyone to use marijuana, but imho, it’s prohibition is incredibly destructive on many, many levels. In no way do I see it’s legalization/decriminalization as a cure all for the many issues which plague us. However, I do think movement on it can send a message to a lot of people on the wrong side of the digital divide. A lot of wingnuts agree. I thought the piece below was a good assessment of the issues concerning legalization/decriminalization.
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2012/04/27/the-smoke-and-mirrors-of-the-legalization-debate/
One thing that piece does not address is “hemp,” which among other economic benefits, could help Wisconsin paper mills. Unfortunately, hemp is related to marijuana, so it’s illegal in the U.S.
I’m sure you’re familiar with “SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME: The Re-enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II,” which won the Pulitzer for history in 2009.
http://www.slaverybyanothername.com/
IMHO the post Civil War enslavement of former slaves in the old Confederacy that it documented paved the way for among other abuses, union busting in Pennsylvania http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Maguires
Apologies if anything I’ve written here has been insensitive to anyone, it was not my intent.
Look, I agree that our legislative bodies need more diversity, whether racial diversity, gender diversity, or socioeconomic diversity (serving in office shouldn’t be reserved for the well-off), but I also want GOOD elected officials. If the type of campaign Millie Coby ran is any indication of the kind of elected official she would have been, then perhaps the citizens of that Assembly district are better off with the Representative they elected.
Hovde’s money and youth scared the bleep out of me.
Really, really happy about Pasch.
Tommy hasn’t been considered a Tea Partiest in the past, but now he’s trying to reassure Republican voters that thinks just like Paul Ryan and Scott Walker.
Neumann was the real Tea Partier and came in third. Fitzgerald ran on his record with Scott Walker and Act 10, and wound up dead last. Could it be that the whole Tea Party Walker Ryan agenda has lost some steam with Republican voters?
Listening to Tommy Thompson tonight sounded a lot like that Lambeau Field speech after Super Bowl XXXI.
only thing, circumstances are a lot different now.
Thank You for mentioning Daniel Riemer’s landslide over the 30 year incumbent! He worked very hard in the District, knocking on doors, etc. West Allis needs him. We’ve been re-districted to smithereens and are now represented by Leah Vukmir, who would rather spend her time doing commercials with Glenn Grothman than actually set foot in West Allis. Oh wait, she marched in the 4th of July parade!
Sensenbrenner, judging from his scheduled town hall meetings, is afraid to come to West Allis.
Of the four running, thank goodness Thompson won the Republican Senate primary. If he does win in November, hopefully he will represent the moderate forces withing the Republican party as well as the people of Wisconisn. Tell the oligarchs to G-F- themselves Tommy.
Remember, this is “Tea Party Tommy” we’re talking about – not the Tommy Thompson of 15 or 20 years ago.