Who are the rising stars in our state party?
So...I'm looking for a bit of help from my fellow progressive cheeseheads who might be a bit more informed than I am...
A Scott Walker presidency seems extremely unlikely, and it seems that more Wisconsinites are becoming more aware of the fact that he cares far more about his personal ambitions than governing the state. While the State Supreme Court may have granted him a gift with the John Doe investigation, it's impossible to deny that the guy has a penchant for getting himself caught up in sticky situations (see: WEDC). People are getting tired of Walker's divisive, retribution-based politics. Still, it's hard to imagine that the governor's ego would allow him to step aside and let someone else to run...
Obviously, 2018 is a lifetime from now, but all of this taken together seems to suggest that the Democratic nominee may be facing a vulnerable incumbent. My question is this: do we have someone "fresh" (to borrow a favorite word of the Walker supporters) in our party who might be able to take advantage of the fatigue that Republican governance seems to have generated across much of the state? Is there someone who can excite progressives while also appealing to independents by promising to govern in a less divisive fashion? Someone like Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, maybe? Or does our best chance at defeating Walker come from nominating a more established candidate (maybe Walker v. Barrett, Round 3?) who, while maybe less "fresh" and exciting, has greater name recognition and a well-known track record? I realize 2018's a long time from now, but I'm curious to read the responses...
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She "gets" the parts of the state that are not Madison and Milwaukee, she is very, very smart, and she's a real progressive. I also really like my own State Senator, Jennifer Shilling, currently the Senate Minority Leader.
As much as I think Tom Barrett is a good, decent human being, I do NOT want to see Walker V. Barrett round three. I will say this: many believe that there's no way Walker finishes his current term, whether he becomes President or not. Scott Walker by ALL accounts- not just Democrats here but Republicans in the know too- is done with Wisconsin. Makes sense, too, given his willingness to throw both Vos and Fitzgerald under the bus over the open records thing. He's simply lost interest. Many see him taking a job with Fox News as Huckabee did, going on the speaking circuit like Palin, or generally finding a way to exponentially increase his income and exposure. I'm sure he will be around on the national stage for a while, but he may in fact be done with Wisconsin- which of course would leave our beloved Wisconsin in the care of...
This person:
