Wisconsin political news for
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Sept. 10, 2008
We at The Hamilton
Consulting Group are very pleased to
announce the addition of two
outstanding professionals to our Government Relations team -
Andy Cook and
Andy Engel. (Please see the article below.) The addition of Andy
Engel and Andy Cook enhances our current
team of lobbyists and their expertise and demonstrated professionalism
strengthens our collective ability to meet whatever challenges we and our
clients face in the months and years to come.
Voters in
Wisconsin went to the polls yesterday - mostly in small numbers - to select
legislative candidates for the November general election in those districts
in which there were primary challenges in either the Democrat and/or
Republican parties. Most of the contested primaries were in “open” seats
where the incumbent chose not to seek re-election. Eleven incumbents were,
however, challenged and all survived.
There was some
drama in the Chippewa Falls area where “incumbent” Rep. Jeff Wood had made a
late announcement that he was running as an Independent and not as a
Republican, leaving him with no challengers from either party. The law does,
however, provide that a person can qualify to be placed on the November
general election if he or she can garner a write-in vote equal to five
percent of the total vote the candidate of his or her party obtained in the
last gubernatorial election.
Don Moga, who
operated a construction company in Chippewa Falls for 27 years, last week
registered with the state as a write-in candidate. It appears that he
received far in excess of the 485 votes he needed to be placed on the
general election ballot in November as a Republican candidate, but the
official count will not occur until today.
Please see
more election coverage at the
Hamilton
Consulting Updates page.
Wisconsin
Politics
A Primary Day
A healthy amount of Wisconsin’s legislative incumbents had challengers in
Tuesday’s primary election, but as is often the case, all of the incumbents
made it through to the general election by large margins.
There were some interesting
developments on Primary Day, all of which happened in races for the state
Assembly.
Nick Milroy and Kelda Helen
Roys both made it through crowded Democratic primaries on Election Day and
have the luxury of no Republican opponents for the general election. Milroy
won a four-way primary with 50 percent of the vote and will replace recently
retired Frank Boyle, while Helen Roys won a six-way primary with 31 percent
and will replace Dave Travis. Jim Kreuser’s vacated seat brought about the
return of Peter Barca who won the primary with 75 percent of the vote and
does not have a Republican opponent. Barca will return to the same Assembly
seat he held some 15 years ago.
There were also some Primary
winners who won races in districts that will have them heavily favored in
their general election contests. Dan Knodl won a four-way Republican
primary and will be the likely successor to Sue Jeskewitz; Sandy Pasch
narrowly won her own four-way Democratic primary and will be the odds-on
favorite to replace Sheldon Wasserman. Retiring Carol Owens’ Oshkosh area
seat will likely go to Richard Spanbauer who garnered 35 percent in winning
a five-way Republican primary.
For further proof that every
vote counts, Wisconsin’s 2nd Assembly District democratic primary saw Ted
Zigmunt beat Lee Brocher by four votes (Brocher is requesting a recount),
and in the 97th Assembly Democratic primary Ruth Page Jones beat Steve
Schmuki by nine votes.
The biggest primary day
surprise comes in the Jeff Wood seat. Wood, who recently decided to leave
the Republican caucus and run for re-election to the State Assembly as an
Independent now has a challenger. In what seems to have been a
late-developing effort, business owner Don Moga appears to have received
enough write-in votes to have his name placed on the November ballot. Moga
will run as a Republican against Wood. There is no Democratic candidate
running for the seat.
For further information
on the 2008 Election, please contact
Andy Engel at the Hamilton Consulting Group.
For complete Primary Election Results
and General Election background, see the
Hamilton Consulting Group's Update page.
Policy Developments
Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruling
Bars Tort Claims in Home Sales
Economic Loss Doctrine Applied by the Court
In July 2008, the Wisconsin Supreme Court in
Below v. Norton held that the Economic Loss Doctrine does
not allow tort misrepresentation claims arising out of
residential real estate sales.
Much of the reaction following the release of the decision tried to leave
the impression that home purchasers were left without remedy in cases where
fraud was involved or alleged in residential real estate transactions. In
fact, home buyers can pursue contract and statutory remedies. Justice
Crooks, who wrote the majority opinion stated, “Clearly, purchasers have
contractual and statutory remedies if needed.”
The Economic Loss Doctrine (ELD) applied in this case is generally not well
understood and has perhaps led to some confusion as to the impact of the
Below v. Norton decision. The ELD is a court-developed doctrine in many U.S.
jurisdictions that prohibits tort recovery when the alleged wrongdoing
results only in economic loss and does not cause personal injury or damage
to any other property. The ELD preserves the distinction between contract
and tort law and prevents seeking broader remedies under a tort theory to
avoid previously agreed-upon contract remedies.
Leinenkugel Appointed as New Commerce Secretary
Gov. Jim Doyle has
announced that Dick Leinenkugel will take over as Department of Commerce
secretary later this month. Leinenkugel, currently the Vice President of
Sales and Marketing at the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, will begin
serving on September 29, 2008.
Hamiltonian's in the News
Hamilton Consulting is very pleased
to
announce that Andy Engel and Andy Cook have joined our
Government Relations team.
Andy Engel began his government relations career over ten years ago with
Wisconsin Senator Kim Plache. He served in several capacities with the
Senate Democrats including leading the campaign committee in 2002 and 2006
and as Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson. In addition,
Andy co-founded the polling and research firm, Forward Strategies, was
Deputy Director for Wisconsin Victory 2004, and was Political Director for
the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (2003-2005). Most recently, Andy was a
Senior Government Relations Advisor at Axley Brynelson.
In addition to his substantial political experience, Andy has extensive
policy experience developing and advancing several major pieces of
legislation as well as working on multiple budget bills. He received his
B.A., Political Science and Legal Studies from the University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Andy Cook also began his government relations career over ten years ago
with Wisconsin Representative Rob Kreibich. After law school, Andy worked as
In-house Legal Counsel and lobbyist with the Building Industry Association
of Washington. He was also staff attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation
where he litigated civil justice, land use and environmental cases.
In addition to his legislative and litigation experience, Andy has extensive
civil justice, environmental, energy, land use and open government (open
meetings/public records) policy experience. He has a B.S. from University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School.
Political News
7 area
Assembly incumbents hold off challengers in primary: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Sept. 10, 2008. Of those, five Democrats and one
Republican all but reclaimed their seats, because they have no
opposition in the Nov. 4 general election.
Roys edges out
Sargent for Assembly seat: Madison Capital Times, Sept. 10, 2008.
The two were the front-runners in a six-way Democratic primary in which
no Republican ran, so Roys will not have to face an opponent in the
general election in November.
Jo Egelhoff captures GOP nomination: Appleton Post-Crescent, Sept.
10, 2008. Low turnout doesn't hurt ex-alderwoman.
Wood likely to have Republican challenger: Eau Claire
Leader-Telegram, Sept. 10, 2008. It looks like state Rep. Jeff Wood's
path to becoming the first independent to win election to the state
Assembly in 61 years just became a little more difficult.
2nd Assembly candidate seeks recount: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept.
10, 2008. Brocher lost to Zigmunt by 4 votes.
Krupp earns right to face Ryan: Janesville Gazette, Sept. 10, 2008.
Krupp won the Democratic Party’s three-way primary election Tuesday.
2008 Primary: Danou, Hegenbarth advance in 91st: La Crosse Tribune,
Sept. 10, 2008. The 91st race drew 10 candidates — more than any other
race this fall — seeking to replace Barbara Gronemus when she retires
this fall.
Elections yield 10 percent turnout in Wood County: Marshfield News
Herald, Sept. 10, 2008. Schneider won the contest 2,142 to 1,472,
according to unofficial poll results. He will face Republican challenger
Jeff Tyberg, 39, of Grand Rapids in the Nov. 4 general election.
Upcoming Fundraisers
Sept. 11
Sept. 13
Sept. 16
-
Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette), Suamico
-
Rep. Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay), Green Bay
Sept. 17
Sept. 18
Sept. 19
Sept. 21
Sept. 25
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Jessica King (D) 18th SD candidate, Madison
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Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), Fox Point
Sept. 29
For
details, go to
Hamilton Consulting Fundraiser Calendar.
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