‘Victory has a thousand fathers; defeat is an orphan.’ — JFK

We CAN do better!

Republicans run into a buzz saw when they campaign in Dane County. Up and down the ballot, Republicans garnered only 23% of the vote in the November mid-term election. Our candidate for governor, Tim Michels, lagged behind even that anemic number with only 20.7%.

Which is why some Republicans are blaming the county party for Michels’ defeat rather than a) the candidate himself and b) the state and national party brand. They want to defenestrate the hard-working volunteer chairman and parachute in a hotshot kid named Brandon Maly. But is there a middle way that would satisfy everyone and grow the Republican vote in Dane County?

Only 38% of registered voters had a favorable opinion of Trump versus 57% who loathed the guy! 

Independents needed to tip the balance in purple Wisconsin opposed Trump 66% to 26%, according to the Marquette poll. Michels came out of this Madison-dominated county 174,277 votes behind Tony Evers. Michels trailed Ron Johnson here in Dane County and statewide.

UPDATE: On installment #2 of this benighted series. To correct the record, there are three groups (some overlapping) that want to see change. To the Election Deniers and Michels apologists we add a third group: forward-thinkers who believe we must take the party to the next level. (Link to that addendum here.)

A house divided against itself

Radio hyperbolist Vicki McKenna called the Dane County Republican Party “useless and self-destructive” last night 01-24-23, taking sides in support of Maly. It’s a fight that could split local Republicans down the middle. Mizz Vicki’s radio guest Tuesday, property developer Terrence Wall, demanded that the local party’s top volunteer and candidate for vice chair, Rolf Lindgren, resign for the tweet pictured below. That’s Terrence Wall pictured, blurry, at left:

"Hate-Trump RINO wants to buy the Republican Party of Dane County Wisconsin!!!" — Dane County GOP vice chairman candidate Rolf Lindgren

“RINO”? Them’s fighting words at the Werkes! If Donald Tr•mp is your litmus test, party purgers, then Republicans really will go the way of the Whigs.

Volunteers AND money!

We think Brandon Maly could be useful! — as a full-time, paid staffer working for and reporting to Republicans who have real roots in the community. But also driving new outreach and coordination efforts. We’ve advocated the same thing for years! (Grabins and Lindgren tell us they’re on board.) But hiring a guy like that to do what needs doing will take big money. And big money man T. Wall is P.O.’d.

Wall makes a good point. The party has to start electing conservatives to local office. “You do it from the ground up,” Wall told WIBA AM 1310 listeners. “You have to build a foundation and that is local races, the county board, city council, school board. Then you get them to run for higher office.” Sen. Ron Johnson has been making the same point.

‘No response’?

Actually, the local Republican party did put up a slate of seven candidates for county board in Spring 2022 but, inexplicably, party volunteer Tom O’Day instructed them to blow off questionnaires from newspapers and from the League of Women Voters. Like the League, the Wisconsin State Journal asks softball questions like “Why are you the best candidate?” They’ll print the candidate’s first 250 words even if written in Esperanto. Instead, the conservative candidates forced the newspaper to print “No Response” under the candidates’ names. A big F-bomb You! to voters.

Dane County did a great job of filling partisan ballot last November, with help from the state party. But most of our candidates had no local government experience and less name recognition. The county board, especially, has been a school for state legislators — Democrats Tammy Baldwin and Mark Pocan started there, as did Republican state legislators Lyman Anderson and Rick Skindrud. Nominally “non-partisan,” that has not stopped the Democrat(ic) party of Dane County from endorsing and supporting their candidates to local office. In many cases, their candidates will defund the police and promote critical race theory. Intimidated by Madison’s political monoculture, Republicans are afraid to put up a yard sign.

Blaska’s Bottom Line: A staffer could work full time to raise money, develop voter databases, recruit candidates, identify issues, coordinate volunteers, develop messaging, and engage media. Like the Democrats — if we would stop being our own worst enemy.

Can Republicans quit with the circular firing squad?