Ahead of My Time Part I

Republican State Senator Neal Kedzie’s recent guest column for a constitutional amendment to alter Democrat Governor Doyle’s veto authority got me thinking….

Back in 1990, the state legislative races that year were positioned with one goal in mind; getting Tommy Thompson reelected. Republican candidates from the Illinois border to Lake Superior were force-fed advice and direction to produce radio ads and mail pieces that pumped the accomplishments of Tommy.

The message everywhere was the same; Vote for me because I will go to Madison to work with Tommy Thompson, not against him.

Tommy, as Tommy mastered so well, was setting the state on fire with a heightened dedication to government activism. Much of what he accomplished during his first term was through vetoes. Both the senate and assembly were controlled by Democrats hell bent to spend as much as WEAC and Morrie Andrews wanted. To punch back, Tommy got creative. The traditional veto of bad bills, line-item veto, the Vanna White veto, Tommy used them all in record numbers.

The Democrats screamed it’s unconstitutional; this governor is abusing his power.

Meanwhile, from districts along the Mississippi to those surrounding Lake Winnebago, candidates did as they were told. Tommy’s voice and name was everywhere. Radio ads celebrated the Tommy record. Voter contact mail featured the required grip-and-grin photo.

And the strategy worked. Tommy beat Assembly Speaker Tom Loftus by record margins.

However, Republicans lost seats in the state legislature. The Party-centric, parliamentary-style campaign strategy was a big loser for the GOP.

The 1992 elections were different. At the state Republican Party, we changed the message. I would privately tell our recruits to find three items you disagree with Governor Thompson. No matter how big, or small, the disagreement, voters do not want a puppet in Madison, regardless of the overwhelming popularity of Tommy. Usually, the first item mentioned was the governor’s veto authority.

Editorials had hammered Tommy on the more creative implementation and interpretation of the constitution, so it was a logical break for legislative candidates to take. The Thompson brain trust were upset with my advice, but at a late fall Wausau Club event, the governor pulled me aside and said he heard what I was doing. With an open hand thump on my shoulder, Governor Thompson said he was big enough to defend himself, and do what needs to be done to bring some winners back to Madison.

Wow, what a great feeling

1992 was the first election since Tommy’s election in 1986 that Republicans achieved a net gain. One year later, in a series of special elections, we won control of the state senate for the first time in a generation. And one year after that, we won control of the state assembly for the first time in 20-some years.

One could argue the momentum started with a talk about independence of the legislature. State Senator Kedzie is on the right track.