After having a few days to digest the August 9th Primary, its time to take a look at the results.
1. I had called for Democrats/Independents/Republicans to Team up with Paul Nehlen to defeat Paul Ryan in the primary. If every single Democrat that voted has crossed over for Nehlen, we would have only needed 22000 more people to turn out at the polls.
A little perspective, Paul Nehlen put a big push on to get out the vote, hitting (by his count) thousands and thousands of doors, had big name Republicans (Coulter, Malkin, Palin) campaigning for him and plenty of free press coverage. Add to that Ryan Solen and Tom Breu who were battling for the Democratic nomination. Both of those candidates brought something different to the race and were both working hard to be the person representing the 1st Congressional district on the November Ballot.
The combined efforts of these three candidates, barely turned out half of what Paul Ryan turned out to keep him in power, I am certain Paul Ryan, who has taxpayer funded security and walls around his Janesville home, was not out pounding the pavement, knocking on doors at anytime.
I get that he has the bully pulpit, and they gerrymandered his district to be more right wing friendly, but it amazes me how the press and the Democratic Party keep treating him with kid gloves.
Paul Nehlen said in an interview that he wanted to discuss deporting all Muslims. While it was a stupid thing to say, it made national news everywhere, and he was painted as a crazy extremist.
On the other hand, Paul Ryan, was the leader of the group of Republicans that met the night if President Obamas Inauguration where they launched the plan to block and obstruct everything he did no matter how big or how small. To my knowledge, no one has ever asked Paul Ryan about this borderline treasonous act.
As we know, there is always more. Paul Ryan also is set on cutting Military pensions, and has held over 60 votes to repeal (not replace) the Affordable Care act. Yet they call him the GOP ideas guy and called his opponent extreme.
I hope Ryan Solen can mount a strong challenge but with Paul Ryan raking in millions upon millions from Wall St. and the Democratic party seemingly scared to speak up and criticize Mr. Ryan it is an uphill battle.
Like everything that has happened over the last 6 years, we can no longer rely on the Democratic Party to be the opposition, if we are going to take our state back we need to supersede the party and do it ourselves. If you care about our country and not the political class, and understand the damage that Paul Ryan has done to his district, please help Ryan Solen out!
You can like his facebook page here and go to his website here!
Lets put someone in Washington who wants to represent Wisconsin, not Wall St. Wisconsin needs someone who has put their life on the line for our country, not someone who sees our troops as an expense.
2. Public Education lost big! Mandela Barnes, one of the better Assemblymen in Madison, made a major decision to challenge Senator Lena Taylor. Due to some strange rules of incumbent protection by the WisDems, he had to start out not only fighting MS. Taylor for the position he had to also fight the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, Ms. Taylor was getting help from not only the Democratic Party, but also formerly convicted felon, and millionaire school privatizer Scott Jensen. Ms. Taylor campaigned on the ability to cross the aisle, but the reality is anyone who works with Scott Jensen is working directly against our children.
In the end, Mandela Barnes lost his bid to unseat Lena Taylor and we lost a champion of public schools while giving more power to someone who wants to privatize.
It did not end there either, Democrat Leon Young, who formerly convicted felon Scott Jensen called a "school choice champion" turned back two very qualified progressive candidates.
Unfortunately there is more! Another formerly convicted felon Scott Jensen ally, Jason Fields, also won a seat back in the Assembly beating another progressive in his race.
When Scott Jensen wins a seat in the Democratic Primary, we need to take note. When Scott Jensen wins three Democratic Primaries, there is cause for panic.
3. The Democratic base was all over the board. Unfortunately, all Democratic incumbents remained in their seats but that is as far as they were able to go. In the race to replace Robb Kahl, Jimmy Anderson was hammered on by members of the Democratic Party in the assembly and many of them endorsed his opponents, yet Jimmy Anderson prevailed.
The same in the Leon Young race, many Democratic electeds, endorsed Edgar Lin but young was able to retain his seat.
It does not stop there either. Long time Democratic Assemblyman, Andy Jorgensen was sick of the fight in the Assembly and tried to get a safer, more stable job as Rock County Register of Deeds, but was beaten handily by the outgoing incumbents second in command.
Andy Jorgensen would probably been able to continue winning his Assembly district but got beaten handily in his bid for a different title. Now the State of Wisconsin has lost two very good Assembly reps in one fell swoop.
My opinion as to why that is, is because people are sick of politics. People in the middle and lower classes have the same problems as they have had but things are getting even harder on them. In Wisconsin, poverty is rising, income inequality is also rising, it is statistically the worst state in the union for people of color, and it is almost weekly that we see the headlines of yet another Wisconsin staple manufacturer is closing its doors and moving.
With as many elections as we have had the last few years, if anything has changed, conditions are getting worse.
There is no politician(except Bernie Sanders) who has told the people that they understand their plight and that we need a quick fix.
With politicians that are tone deaf, a depressed labor market and declining services for people in need, people are starting to check themselves out of politics. It has become a turnout problem because the people are not seeing the difference in the parties, nor are they hearing anyone talk about their actual daily concerns and fears.
After the last election blowout, The Democratic Party did a self study where one of the conclusions that they came too was that they need a better consistent message to bring to the voters. Unfortunately, they did follow their own advice, but the message they came up with was Trump is scary vote for us.
When you are working two jobs, yet living paycheck to paycheck, worried about how you can afford gas, a place to live, health care and food, Trump does not scare you!
When you can not get off work to tend to your sick child or attend their school events because the pay you lose could cost you your apartment, Trump does not scare you.
When you were recently homeless, but now am sharing a one bedroom apartment with three families, just to be able to have a roof over your head, Trump does not scare you.
When your child has special needs and your only reprieve is when they are at school, and you have to worry about the schools having the funding to help your child, while also trying to figure out what is the best thing to give up so you can buy the meds that your child desperately needs, Trump does not scare you.
When your spouse has a heart attack, can no longer work and the deductible that your health insurance charges has left you broke, Trump does not scare you!
There is still time to turn the ship around but there does not seem to be much interest in doing so. This primary election sent a message to the Democratic Party, the question is will they listen, or will the good people of Wisconsin just be a bone to be chewed when the gales of November arrive?
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