The official folkbum primary endorsement post

by folkbum

I was hoping to have time and inclination to do better with these, but this quick list will have to suffice since we're just a week away. Note that I will be filling out the Democratic side of the ballot (surprise!) but I am making a couple of Republican recommendations below.

WI-GOV, D: A reminder--despite the certain groundswell of support between now and election day, I cannot accept your write-in votes for me. I appreciate the thought, but let's all try to settle for Tom Barrett, okay? I give him the nod over Tim John, who just will not have the resources to compete in a race that national Republicans will be targeting. I am not in love with Barrett, but he is our man and we will have to come to grips with that.

WI-GOV, R: Not my fight, and not that any of you likely to be voting on the other side of the page will listen, but if my opinion is worth anything, I recommend you Rs out there vote Mark Neumann. Why? Because Neumann is not bat-guano insane the way Scott Walker is. If we have to suffer under Republican rule again in this state, Neumann would at least try to hold things together. We have eight long, long years of evidence in Milwaukee County that Walker is not all that interested in good government. Plus, I try to live by this rule of thumb: Always vote against the guy Charlie Sykes is supporting.

[Edited also, to add: WI-LTGOV, D: I can't believe I forgot the one actually competitive state-wide Dem race! I'm voting for Spencer Coggs over Henry Sanders. Tom Nelson and James Schneider are also running.]

WI-SEN, R: [Edited to add: I will, of course, be voting Feingold next week and in November; the following is for my R friends.] Ron Johnson was inspired to run for office because Dick Morris said someone with a lot of money should run against Russ Feingold--Feingold, of course, being among the senators with the least personal wealth. And then Johnson started the whole thing with a lie about being a self-made man. Plus, you know, Charlie Sykes. So vote Dave Westlake!

WI-TREAS, D: Does it matter? I think I'm voting Dan Bohrod, just because I'm a sucker for a low-rent website.

WI-AG, D: Scott Hassett it is. Though in fairness I will note that Republican JB Van Hollen has not been the disaster I was afraid he would be. I mean, I knew he couldn't be as bad as Paul Bucher would have been, but aside from a few bad moves, like wanting to throw taxpayer dollars at the suit against the Affordable Care Act, he's mostly just done his job.

WI-7SD: There aren't a lot of exciting House, Assembly, or State Senate primaries, but the Chris Larson-Jeff Plale race on Milwaukee's east and south sides is a hummer. If you've been paying attention so far, you probably know where I'm coming down on this one, since Charlie Sykes has been defending Plale and attacking Larson. Look, Jeff's a nice enough guy, and generally his more-conservative positions don't end up hurting Dems too much. And I do appreciate that Plale was the only local elected official who came out to volunteer at my high school on GE Community Day. But his refusal to distance himself from slimeball Scott Jensen and some of the other characters supporting him is a real problem. Last time around I stayed out of this primary--and I'm glad I did, given the way things turned out--but this time I am actively urging a Chris Larson victory.

MKE-SHERIFF: Four years ago, I supported Republican Don Holt in his quest to unholster (Sykes-supported) Sheriff David Clarke after Vince Bobot failed to beat Clarke in the primary. This time around, Chris Moews is the one trying to beat Clarke in the primary, and he gets my vote hands-down.

There are a few other contested primary races out there that are just not enough on my radar or near enough me in geography for me to have an opinion. Feel free, though, to shill for your favorites in the comments below.