Nobody’s Governor But Yours

Burke, Jensen, Chvala, Foti, Ladwig, Adelman Travel, Reuben Anthony, Nick Hurtgen, Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Bear Stearns, Duke Cunningham, Georgia Thompson, CTE Engineers;

Where does it end? Don’t answer, that was a rhetorical question.

It is not going to end. Already, bloggers Jessica McBride and Charlie Sykes have opened a new front on Team Doyle. Like Lazarus, Doyle campaign manager Rich Judge has been raised from the dead in retaliation for Doyle’s linkage of Green campaign manager Mark Graul to Capitol Hill corruption.

I am tempted to jump off message here to say the caucus scandal that snared Judge has matured way past his place on the food chain. And Graul went to a Bucks-Wizards game at the MCI Center. That in itself is punishment enough.

But the real issue is, we have an incumbent governor seeking reelection against an incumbent congressman and an incumbent county executive.

The common thread is Incumbent parties and those who feed off of Incumbent parties.

Herb Kohl recognized this way back in 1988. His bio is familiar to everyone; department store heir, Bucks owner, philanthropist.

When Bill Proxmire announced his retirement from the US Senate in September, 1987, the first candidates to announce were Tony Earl, Ed Garvey and Susan Engeleiter. Earl was notable for an unremarkable term as governor; Garvey was limping-off an ugly US Senate race, a razor thin loss to Bob Kasten, and St. Senate Minority Leader Engeleiter, who was immediately rejected by conservatives.

1988 was ripe for someone to break from the past.

And so is 2006.

State Republicans are courting 2004 US Senate nominee Tim Michels – as they should be. Tim owns a bio that not only mirrors the business acumen of Herb Kohl, but far surpasses Kohl in the Lookinig-Killer-In-BDUs and the My-Kids-Are-Cuter-Than-Your-Kids imagery.

Kohl, though, has never been captured by the Incumbent Party mentality. His Nobody’s Senator But Yours slogan ranks up there with other genius marketing slogos like GM’s Like A Rock, or Mitch Henck’s Good Feet ads (inserted for a cheap laugh).

By running for the US Senate against Herb Kohl, Tim Michels would be risking an opportunity to begin an historic political career.

Given the political smell in Madison; given the bruising GOP primary for governor that will leave one of our current two choices both busted and nearly broken; Republicans are recruiting Tim Michels for the wrong office.

Nobody’s Governor But Yours could launch Tim Michels.

Tell me he couldn’t beat Governor Jim Doyle.

Tell me he is the one Republican who represents a complete break from the past.

Governor Tim Michels. Timing is everything.

To read more on what the Green-Walker-Doyle camapign will look like click here