David Clarke hints at desire to take electoral drubbing at the hands of Tom Barrett

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is hinting that he’d consider running against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in 2016.

In an interview this week with the Journal Sentinel, Clarke, who has been highly critical of Barrett’s tenure as mayor, said he was sizing up a possible run. But he said he would not make a decision until after his re-election bid as sheriff this fall.

“After that, I’m going to sit down with some trusted people…to see about the viability of a candidacy against an incumbent,” Clarke said.

Does he mean Barrett?

“Sure, the viability of taking on an incumbent mayor. That’s an uphill climb. But I do think running for governor in the recall weakened him. He’s vulnerable. I’m going to sit down with people I know and I trust who will be honest with me whether it’s viable to take on an incumbent mayor and actually win. I’m not a guy who runs just to run,” Clarke said.

While Sheriff Clarke’s name recognition might serve to help him if he chose to run against Tom Barrett, I’m willing to go out on a limb and predict Clarke would still lose the election by at least 20 percentage points.

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5 thoughts on “David Clarke hints at desire to take electoral drubbing at the hands of Tom Barrett

  1. Wonder if Sheriff Clarke is trying to “influence” Barrett, Abele, Walker, Sykes…. into getting him a cushy federal/state/Bradley Foundation job?

  2. Tom Barrett is more vulnerable to a challenge from someone to his left than he is to a challenge from someone to his right.

    Any right-winger of the David Clarke/Bob Donovan mold has NO chance of defeating Barrett, and I don’t think that any progressive will try to run against Barrett.

  3. If Sheriff Clarke can make this election a referendum on the rail boondoggle Mayor Barrett is peddling, he might have a chance.

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