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Sept. 22, 2006
Following last week’s primary, we
have updated our
election coverage to include the primary results and
continuing information about the general election candidates who
will learn their fate on November 7.
The primaries in the Attorney General’s race
- both parties - were the highest profile elections at the state level. AG
Peg Lautenschlager was the only incumbent to lose of the 15 in the state
facing primary challenges. That race was also particularly interesting
because the victor, Kathleen Falk, received almost 53 percent of the vote
but lost her home county of Dane, where she is the current County Executive,
by a 60 to 40 percent margin.
In the Republican primary J.B. Van Hollen was
victorious by a statewide 60 to 40 percent vote. Van Hollen, a former U.S.
Attorney, and Falk are expected to have a very spirited campaign with clear
issue differences between the candidates, unlike the two primary races where
there was less focus on philosophical and policy differences and more focus
on personalities and extraneous issues.
The first gubernatorial debate between
challenger Congressman Mark Green and incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle took place
last Friday in Waukesha and focused primarily on tax issues. The second
debate will be held on October 20th in La Crosse and will address
issues such as education and health care. These debates, produced by “We the
People,” provide opportunity to view and listen to the candidates and hear
their respective proposals for addressing high priority state issues -
rather than relying on media reports or various “spin doctors.”
See Hamilton Consulting Update for profiles of governor and
AG candidates.
Policy Developments
Legislative Committees Have
Scheduled Hearings in the Upcoming Weeks
For details, go to the
Legislature’s Schedule of Committee Activities.
For more information on the upcoming schedules, scopes, and
membership, go to the Legislature's website listing the
2006 Study Committees.
Sept. 27, 2006:
-
Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules
The committee will hold a public hearing on Emergency Rule NR 328,
concerning chore erosion control on rivers and streams and creating
general permits. An Executive Session will be held on the Emergency Rule
Extension and may be held on NR 27.03(3)(c) 3.
-
Airport Authorities (Legislative Council)
The meeting will include a discussion of airport ownership and
governance structures, and testimony by invited speakers.
Oct. 3, 2006:
-
Select Committee on Road to the Future
The committee will continue its discussion of phase two of its study
relating to exploring ways transportation systems can be built and
maintained more efficiently.
-
Great Lakes Water Resources Compact (Legislative Council)
The committee will hear a presentation on Great Lakes hydrology; as
well as staff reports and briefings on: approvals for Great Lakes basin
water withdrawals; diversions required under current law and under the
compact [Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact];
state flexibility in implementing the compact; and, issues and concerns on
the compact in other Great Lakes State Legislatures.
Oct. 5, 2006
-
Review of State School Aid Formula (Legislative Council)
The committee will hear invited testimony from representatives of a
cross-section of Wisconsin school districts regarding problems currently
facing school districts related to the school aid formula.
-
State Trails Policy (Legislative Council)
There will be presentations by invited speakers, public testimony, and
discussion of committee assignment; Interested persons are invited to make
specific recommendations relating to state trail use policies.
Wisconsin
Politics
Wisconsin Elections
Please see the Hamilton Consulting
Updates for primary results and other election candidate
information.
Two Legislative Candidates Seek Recount; Two Others Concede
Democrat Dan Jardine, who lost by eight votes to Meagan Yost in bid to
face GOP Rep.Gene Hahn, and Democrat Judy Reas, who lost by 43 votes to
Dewey Floberg in race to face GOP Representative Mary Williams, have begun
the recount process in the 47th and 87th Districts,
respectively.
Meanwhile, former Senator and Republican Assembly primary candidate Gary
Drzewiecki, who lost to John Nygren by 36 votes in the 89th
District, and Republican Dave Suminski who lost by 23 votes to Shirl LaBarre
in the race to face Democrat Rep. Gary Sherman in the 74th
District, conceded their races and are not seeking recounts.
Elections Board Action Remains in the Headlines
Dane County Judge Richard Niess said Thursday that he plans to rule
Monday (September 25) on the effort by Republican Mark Green's campaign to
fight an Elections Board order to divest his campaign of $468,000 in federal
political action committee money. Niess said that he was trying to expedite
the case because he doesn't expect to have the final word in the matter.
The
Green campaign is seeking a temporary injunction (and ultimate overturn of
the Board’s action) on the basis that the campaign complied with the
explicit directives of the Elections Board and followed a practice that had
been in place for 29 years, a view that was also expressed by the Board’s
own attorney before the Board’s controversial vote.
Also yesterday, Sept. 21, 2006, the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s
lead front page story reports that a lawyer for Governor Doyle’s
campaign repeatedly lobbied three Democratic members of the State Elections
Board before they voted to order Green’s campaign to divest the above
referenced federal political action committee money. The paper uncovered
e-mails from the lawyer that discussed a PR victory and promised media cover
by the Doyle campaign and the Democratic Party. Also see Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel
editorial of September 22.
Political News
Wisconsin politics as usual (opinion):
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 22, 2006.
Doyle
lawyer urged sanction: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 21, 2006.
House
passes voter ID bill: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 21, 2006.
Doyle attacks ethics issue with ad saying he fought corruption:
Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 21, 2006.
Green, Doyle
agree to 3rd gubernatorial debate: Janesville Gazette, Sept. 21, 2006.
Jobless
rate hits 5-year low: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 21, 2006.
Kimberly-Clark cutting 350 more Neenah jobs: Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, Sept. 21, 2006.
Metro area jobless rate drops to 4.1 percent: Green Bay
Press-Gazette, Sept. 21, 2006.
Gubernatorial, 8th Congressional candidates back regulating issue-ad
groups: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 20, 2006.
Influence of money, public trust top issues (opinion): Green Bay
Press-Gazette, Sept. 20, 2006.
Gard, Kagen called on to look at overseas issues, local jobs: Green
Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 18, 2006.
Economy called OK if people still spend: Wisconsin State Journal,
Sept. 18, 2006.
Targeted training: Wisconsin State Journal, Sept. 18, 2006.
Entrepreneurial Boot Camp boosts business owner: Wisconsin Rapids
Tribune, Sept. 18, 2006.
Make the
most of M2 (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 17, 2006.
Area trails
in jobs for state government: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 17,
2006.
Assembly
candidates try to set themselves apart: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Sept. 17, 2006. growth at forum.
Doyle, Green square off in first governor's debate: Beloit Daily
News, Sept. 16, 2006.
Candidates' budget talk stirs debate: Madison Capital Times, Sept.
16, 2006.
Candidates
for governor might deepen shortfall: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Sept. 15, 2006.
Candidates
pitch state strategy: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 16, 2006.
Doyle
shifts road priority: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 15, 2006.
Upcoming Fundraisers
Sept. 23
Sept. 25
-
Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford),
Waterford
-
Sen. Alan Lasee (R-DePere), Madison
Sept. 28
-
Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield),
Waukesha
-
Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port
Washington), Madison
For
details, go to
Hamilton Consulting Fundraiser Calendar.
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