So the cat is finally out of the bag in public: Jim Klauser (and likely the rest of TGT's old squad) will be lining up behind Mark Neumann in his not yet announced yet all but certain bid for governor. Lest everyone think I'm a total sieve, I've actually known about this for awhile and was asked to keep quiet. Who says I'm not a team player? I'm a team player when I like the team I'm playing for!
Says Klauser:
If I had to pick a winner in a Neumann/Doyle matchup right now, would I pick Neumann? Probably not. Do I think Neumann is a better candidate for statewide office than Scott Walker? Oh hell yeah. Neumann brings you all of the plusses of a Walker candidacy without the enormous heap of negatives. Neumann's been successful in the private sector, he hasn't shredded a local government to the point where it barely functions, he's got a college diploma. He's also not from Milwaukee County, the political Death Star of outstate Wisconsin.
More importantly, if you were to ask nearly any legislative power broker who the better candidate is downticket in 2010, they'll tell you Mark Neumann in a heartbeat. The biggest enemy of the GOP is the risk that the Democrats retain their clean-sweep status going into redistricting. The best option for preventing that is likely in the Senate. Kathleen Vinehout, Jim Sullivan, and Pat Kreitlow all stand for re-election for the first time, and just two pick-ups gives the GOP a 17-16 majority and the safety net they need.
Wisconsin's already proven once that it won't get excited about Scott Walker, which is why my favorite college dropout left the 2006 gubernatorial primary with a whimper and not a bang. Meanwhile, Neumann nearly knocked off Wisconsin's camera-hogging golden boy, Russ Feingold, once upon a time - and in a Democratic year to boot.
So three cheers to Jim Klauser for his recognition that Scott Walker is a one-way ticket to defeat. Looks like Scotty's coronation just hit a huge bump in the road.
Says Klauser:
Mark understands Wisconsin’s future is in growing jobs (in the private sector); encouraging business and investment. He understands we need the educational and transportation infrastructure to make that happen. He is sensitive to the environmental issues that concern us. He knows that high oppressive taxes can stifle initiative and growth.
I have been heavily involved in four successful Republican gubernatorial campaigns. Based on that experience I have concluded that of the prospective candidates, Mark Neumann is best able to win and govern well. I encourage you to consider Mark Neumann for Governor.
If I had to pick a winner in a Neumann/Doyle matchup right now, would I pick Neumann? Probably not. Do I think Neumann is a better candidate for statewide office than Scott Walker? Oh hell yeah. Neumann brings you all of the plusses of a Walker candidacy without the enormous heap of negatives. Neumann's been successful in the private sector, he hasn't shredded a local government to the point where it barely functions, he's got a college diploma. He's also not from Milwaukee County, the political Death Star of outstate Wisconsin.
More importantly, if you were to ask nearly any legislative power broker who the better candidate is downticket in 2010, they'll tell you Mark Neumann in a heartbeat. The biggest enemy of the GOP is the risk that the Democrats retain their clean-sweep status going into redistricting. The best option for preventing that is likely in the Senate. Kathleen Vinehout, Jim Sullivan, and Pat Kreitlow all stand for re-election for the first time, and just two pick-ups gives the GOP a 17-16 majority and the safety net they need.
Wisconsin's already proven once that it won't get excited about Scott Walker, which is why my favorite college dropout left the 2006 gubernatorial primary with a whimper and not a bang. Meanwhile, Neumann nearly knocked off Wisconsin's camera-hogging golden boy, Russ Feingold, once upon a time - and in a Democratic year to boot.
So three cheers to Jim Klauser for his recognition that Scott Walker is a one-way ticket to defeat. Looks like Scotty's coronation just hit a huge bump in the road.
19 comments:
In all fairness, Milwaukee County government barely functioned before Walker got there; it just spends a little less money now.
I don't have a particularly strong affinity for either Neumann or Walker for the Governor's race, but I don't know whether outstate Wisconsinites will really:
a) Discern a difference between being from Waukesha County instead of Milwaukee County, or
b) Remember that Neumann ran for the Senate 12 years ago.
My biggest concern is that one of these two (or someone else for that matter) is going to need to raise a lot of money to successfully challenge WEAC's television ad budget (not to mention any spots that the Governor buys for himself). While I support the idea of competition for the nomination, the real effect of it will be to put the candidate further behind in fundraising.
In the same light, I have to question how well Neumann would stand up at the top of the ticket, without Tommy Thompson turning out voters for him.
I'll gladly get behind any candidate that I think can beat Gov. Doyle; I'm just not sure how Mark Neumann is any better situated to do win a statewide election now than he was in 1998.
Neumann has a shot against Doyle, provided he can refrain from making any college students cry on camera during town hall meetings.
RS-
The whole Klauser/Neumann thing was almost as poorly kept of a secret as Walker's bald spot. Hell, even I heard about it, and I'm a nobody.
BJK-
FYI-MKE taxes have gone up 17% under Walker, and there hundreds of millions of dollars in overdue bills waiting.
Neumann has the money and then some of Doyle. WEAC and AFSCME will have their handsful trying to keep a close second to WMC, who has been stockpiling.
Scott Walker is the James Frey of politics –in this case “A Million,167,622 (the amount of money spent in 2006 Governors race run ) Little Pieces,” always one lie from becoming completely unimportant to the vast majority of the population.
one slight problem?
didn't neuman's business go bankrupt?
Neumann Homes filed for Chapter 11 in 2007, but by then it was based in Illinois and run by Mark Neumann's brother. You can barely find mention of Mark's name in stories about the bankruptcy, which is probably a fair sign of the degree of his involvement at that time.
Oh, and I'm sure Neumann would be fine in a town hall meeting provided that Doyle wasn't planting girls in the audience to ask Neumann questions and then cry at the responses.
I'm fine with Neumann as long as he does not employ his "every county but 2" strategy from 1998. If he does try to resurrect that disaster I will take Scott Walker's Southeast Strategy and give that a whirl.
i remember whenever he filled in for belling he mentioned he was building homes! he was so much better than kevin fischer...oh well at least belling never let fraley back on after his one appearance!
So what is he doing these days if he no longer is in the home building biz?
Well, since Walker has decided to hire the great Keith Gilkes to run his campaign into the ground, Neuman should feel pretty good about his chances. Gilkes doesn't exactly have a great track record in competetive campaigns, putting it mildly.
Who is Mark Neumann?
Considering that your entire political strategy is to destroy Republicans, I am not surprised that you are supporting the most defeatable one to recently find his way back on to the stage.
Neuman is irrelevant.
Hiring Barney Gumble and the rest of the 1990s Bucks gang is another sad reminder that Age of Jensen is over in the Assembly and King Tommy's control over the state has now passed completely to the Southeastern Wisconsin No Tax Crowd- the LA Clippers of state politics. I will do anything to see Mark Neumann and the rest of the LA Lakers (Ryan, Jensen, Tommy) box out these wingnuts to win.
geez, if I could take a time machine back to 1998 and tell people that 11 years into the future people will be rooting for Neumann to hold back "wingnuts" I would be tried as a witch and drowned.
HA! No kidding. Talk about a sign of how sad and tragic GOP politics has become in Wisconsin. Mark Neumann is no longer conservative enough to satisfy the bloodthirst of the new lunatic fringe.
11 years ago, Mark Neumann practically WAS the lunatic fringe.
Come on, RS, do you really expect Doyle to refrain from planting any telegenic college girls who can cry on cue in the audience of the "We the People" town halls? Doyle has sharper elbows than Feingold by far. I wouldn't put it past Doyle to have an operative release a small dog directly in the path of Neumann's car.
I am guessing that the Walker/Neumann campaign staff will all be finding jobs in January 2011 at the newly created Milton C. Hardcastle Institute for Justice will be set with some ultra corporate wingnut money.
98 A DEM YEAR???
SEEMS SOME GUY NAMED TOMMY WAS AN EASY WINNER AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET?
How badly did neumann under perform tommy?
Look at prevailing national trends that year. Consider that Tommy's margin in '98 was 15 points smaller than it was four years earlier (and that Tommy always badly outpolled his GOP counterparts).
The answer to your question is around 11 points, but considering how personality-driven TGT and Feingold campaigns always are, I don't think it's reasonable to expect that TGT had coattails. If he did, we never would've had Jim Doyle as AG.
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