Wisconsin Recalls

David Obey Would Consider WI-GOV Recall Bid -- But Wants Kohl Or Barrett To Run

Eric Kleefeld | October 20, 2011, 12:02PM

Former longtime Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) is joining the call among Democrats to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker in 2012. He would also consider running as a candidate himself in such a recall -- but would prefer to see candidacies by either Sen. Herb Kohl, who is retiring in 2012, or Milwaukee Mayor and unsuccessful 2010 Democratic nominee Tom Barrett.

However, Obey also said that when he has talked to the other two men about running for governor, they politely told him to stop "pestering" them about it.

Obey told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board that "there is so much anger out there" against Walker, predicting that Democrats would successfully collect enough signatures for the effort. (The Dems need to collect over 540,000 signatures, plus a significant buffer that campaigns routinely collect in order to protect against signatures being disqualified over one imperfection or another.)

At the same time, Obey touted Kohl and Barrett as alternative candidates to himself:

Read more »

WI-SEN

Russ Feingold, Potential Senate Candidate, Rips Democrats For 'Corruption'

Benjy Sarlin | May 17, 2011, 12:48PM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

Ousted from the Senate in 2010, Russ Feingold, may have fewer Democratic friends to count on if he chooses to enter the race to replace retiring Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI). The progressive icon eviscerated his former colleagues in an e-mail for his advocacy group Progressive United on Tuesday, accusing two prominent Democrats of enabling "corruption" by opposing new transparency measures on political donations.

"This culture of corporate influence and corruption is precisely what we as Progressives United want to change," he wrote. "So we've decided to take on those legislators who are unwilling to stand up to corporate power, and we're naming names."

Read more »

WI-SEN

Paul Ryan: I'll Decide If I'm Running For Senate This Week (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 16, 2011, 9:47AM

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

On CNN this weekend, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) confirmed that he's considering jumping into the 2012 Wisconsin Senate race following the announced retirement of Sen. Herb Kohl (D).

"My family and supporters, we just started digesting this," Ryan told State Of The Union Sunday. "I plan on making an announcement very quickly."

Read more »

WI-SEN

Paul Ryan Considering Run For Open Wisconsin Senate Seat

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 13, 2011, 2:58PM

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), who's become a national figure thanks to his role as budget guru for the House leadership in the 112th Congress, says he's considering making a run for the U.S. Senate being vacated by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI).

"I was surprised by Senator Kohl's announcement," Ryan said in a statement posted to his Congressional campaign website. Ryan said he's going to "take some time over the next few days to discuss this news with my family and supporters before making any decision about how I'm best able to serve my employers in the First Congressional District, our state and nation."

Read more »

2012 elections

Wis. Dem Chair: Russ Feingold, Tammy Baldwin Could Run For Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 2:54PM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

On a conference call with reporters just now, Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate predicted that the party would have one or more strong candidates in the race to succeed Dem Sen. Herb Kohl, who announced his retirement earlier on Friday. Indeed, Tate directly named some key potential candidates who are already looking at it, or might soon be doing so.

Chief among the names that Tate listed were former Sen. Russ Feingold, who lost re-election in the 2010 Republican wave after three terms in office, and seven-term Rep. Tammy Baldwin from Madison and the surrounding counties.

"I think the next 6-8 weeks are going be an important timeframe for people to at least make a decision about whether they're gonna run," Tate said.

"I've already spoken with some people this morning who indicated there are serious people thinking about getting in this race," Tate also added, saying that at least for Friday focus should be on Kohl himself and his record of serving the state.

When a reporter asked who Tate might have been talking to, or what names might have come up, Tate said there could be many great candidates. "Obviously Russ Feingold looms large if he were or were not to run again," Tate said. "And I've spoken to people very close to her that Tammy Baldwin is seriously considering running for the Senate seat."

Tate also said that people who might be looking at the race include Rep. Ron Kind, Milwaukee Mayor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, and biotechnology executive Kevin Conroy.

Read more »

WI-SEN

Kohl Announces Retirement From Senate, Predicts GOP Overreach In Wisconsin Will Benefit Dems

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 12:33PM

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) has officially announced his retirement. Kohl's decision to not seek reelection in 2012 opens up a potential top-tier Senate race, in a swing state that has become the center of a polarizing political debate over labor unions in the wake of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union legislation.

"I've always believed that it's better to leave a job a little too early than a little too late," the four-term senator said in his opening remarks. "And that's how I feel today. The interest and energy I have for this job will find a new home at the conclusion of this term."

Kohl told reporters that he believed the divisions in the state, triggered by Walker's legislation, would make it easier for the Democrats to hold the seat. "I think whoever we nominate is going to have a very good chance of winning," said Kohl. "To some extent the Republicans have overreached, and people have recoiled, and the landscape will be more favorable.

"Not that I'm happy it's happened -- I'm not happy that it's happened. But I think the landscape will be more favorable to Democratic candidates than last year."

(Thanks to the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee, for live-streaming Kohl's press conference.)

WI-SEN

Dem Wisconsin Sen. Herb Kohl Expected To Announce Retirement

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 10:39AM

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), will reportedly announce today that he will not run again in 2012, after having served four terms. This in turn will open up a potential top-tier Senate race, in a swing state that has become the center of a polarizing political debate over labor unions in the wake of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union legislation.

Kohl was first elected to the Senate in 1988, after a career in business and as owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. He will be 77 years old on election day 2012. Kohl had not been raising money in recent months, thus making this announcement somewhat expected, but his personal fortune and capacity to self-finance made the situation ambiguous.

A Democratic source in Wisconsin confirmed to TPMDC that Dems expect Kohl to announce his retirement. According to the source, potential Democratic candidates include Rep. Ron Kind, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, Milwaukee Mayor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Barrett, and former Sen. Russ Feingold, who was defeated after three terms in the 2010 Republican wave.

WI-SEN

Poll: Democrats Poised To Keep Wisconsin Senate Seat In 2012

Jon Terbush | March 3, 2011, 9:06AM

Senator Herbert Kohl (D-WI) and Fmr. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

Sen. Herb Kohl (D) is in solid position to hold his seat if he runs for reelection in 2012, according to a new PPP poll. But if he retires, as some observers believe he will, Democrats could still hold the seat if they nominate a progressive favorite in Kohl's place: former Sen. Russ Feingold.

Kohl and Feingold held strong leads over every Republican challenger thrown their way in the survey, making it seem at least for now like the GOP would have a tough time flipping another Wisconsin Senate seat.

Read more »

Elena Kagan

Last Justice Standing: Kagan's Five Funniest Moments On Tuesday

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 30, 2010, 9:16AM

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is a funny lady. Facing a somewhat skeptical Republican contingent on the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, Kagan slayed 'em in the aisles with a nearly nonstop stream of sarcasm and wit.

There were a lot of important issues discussed yesterday, and a lot of digging into Kagan's legal philosophy. But the main takeaway from the first day of questions and answers for Kagan was the nominee's ability to knock 'em dead.

Read more »