Craig Gilbert writes Wisconsin already expected to be a war zone for the 2020 presidential race: Almost everything about the Nov. 6 midterm election bolstered Wisconsin’s status as a top presidential target in 2020, when this state has no race for governor or U.S. Senate but can expect an all-out war over its 10 electoral votes.…
Elections
Elections, Federal Government, Trump
Gains in a Long Conflict
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Stanley Greenberg observes Trump Is Beginning to Lose His Grip. There’s much work yet to go, and sure to be painful setbacks ahead, but those of us who are Never Trump (mostly libertarians & conservatives) and so many others (Democrats, independents, former Republicans) have taken back a branch of the government with investigatory authority from a…
Crime, Elections, Law, Wisconsin
For Wisconsin, it’s been Long Enough
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
43rd Assembly District, Elections, Politics, Trump
Then Why Run as a Republican?
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
What the Daily Union lacks in journalism it supplies in comedy. Consider a recent story about a 43rd district assembly candidate: Republican Szerlong says he will work for people, not party. Oh, brother. If he’s focused on people over party, then why is he Republican Szerlong? Why not Citizen Szerlong, or Independent Szerlong, or Write-in…
Crime, Elections, Law, Russia
Justice Department Charges Russian National for 2018 Election Meddling
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Matt Zapotosky, Rachel Weiner, Ellen Nakashima, and Devlin Barrett report Justice Dept. charges Russian woman with interference in midterm elections: Elena Khusyaynova, 44, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors said she managed the finances of “Project Lakhta,” a foreign influence operation they said was designed “to sow discord in the U.S. political system” by…
America, Elections, Freedom of Speech, Good Ideas, Law, Libertarians, Liberty, Never Trump, Politics, Trump
Jennifer Rubin on ‘Three big ideas to bolster democracy’
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Jennifer Rubin writes of three ideas to bolster democracy (enhanced voting rights, independent and non-partisan justice, and robust speech rights): First, Republicans, in an effort to hang on to their declining electoral advantage based on white voters, have tried every trick in the book to limit voting by those they suspect will favor Democrats. Hence,…
City, Elections, Never Trump, Politics, Trump
Hyper-Local Politics is Finished (It’s Just That Not Everyone Sees it Yet)
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Hyper-localism in politics has affected – and harmed – Whitewater and countless other small towns. The idea that there were better local standards on economics, open government, and politics than the best American standards was always a truly risible conceit. The best standards on these matters were always broad and wide. (See How Many Rights for…
43rd Assembly District, City, Elections, Politics, Trump
The First & Last Questions
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
There’s a local debate candidate forum scheduled for this weekend between the Democrat and Republican running for the 43rd Assembly district (a portion of which includes Whitewater). The Whitewater Area League of Women Voters is hosting this event, and writes to reassure prospective attendees that they may “ask questions of the candidates by writing them…
Elections, Mendacity, Propaganda, Putin, Russia, Trump-Russia
Russian disinformation campaigns
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Alina Polyakova asks What do Russian disinformation campaigns look like, and how can we protect our elections?: As technological capabilities progress, the threat of political warfare is becoming an even more serious threat to democratic elections. David M. Rubenstein Fellow Alina Polyakova analyzes past disinformation campaigns and political warfare tools employed by hostile foreign actors…
America, Elections, Federal Government, Law, Liberty, Local Government, State Government
Voter Registration
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Those of us who are residents and citizens, who by birth or naturalization have a right to vote, should not have to run a governmental maze to exercise that right. On the contrary, government officials and their bureaucracies are mere instrumentalities of a popular sovereignty, and their officiousness and obstacles at best offend, and at…
Elections, Gov. Walker, Poll, Sen. Baldwin, Tony Evers, Wisconsin
A Poll, with Months Ahead
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Walker trails Evers 44% to 46% in the new Suffolk poll, a difference well within the margin of error. The latest survey is consistent with the findings of other pollsters on the two-term governor in at least two respects. First, the Republican Walker is in greater danger of losing his job right now than the…
Elections, State Government, Tony Evers, Wisconsin
Tony Evers for Wisconsin Governor, Vision
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
City, Elections, Local Government, Politics, State Government, Wisconsin
Local Results from the Spring General Election 2018
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Wisconsin’s spring general election’s now over, and in the paragraphs below I’ll consider the local results for state, district, and city-wide races. These results are unofficial; online detail may be found for the counties of Walworth, Jefferson, and Rock (where Rock County’s detail applies only to the WUSD race). Contest/Question Candidates/Preference City Vote % WI Supreme Court…
Elections, Gov. Walker, Trump, Wisconsin
Trump and Walker
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
In 2014, Gov. Walker ran for re-election, and two years later Trump ran for president. The two-party results for the GOP candidates in the City of Whitewater were much different. In 2014, Gov. Walker narrowly lost the City of Whitewater to Mary Burke: Walker 2,616 49.8% Burke 2,634 50.2% In 2016, Trump decisively lost…