"Credit where due: Vukmir and Nicholson are innovators when it comes to finding new ways to tear each other down."

MADISON - How do they do it? Say what you will about Republican U.S. Senate candidates Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson's hardline commitment to a right-wing policy agenda that enriches corporate special interests and the wealthy at the expense of hardworking Wisconsinites, the two primary opponents are remarkably creative when it comes to finding new ways to viciously attack each other.

Here are the latest entries in the "nasty" GOP primary log:

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: Relative of GOP candidate Kevin Nicholson labels Scott Walker a 'sissy,' Leah Vukmir a 'swamp creature' in tweets
  
  • "Steve attacked state Sen. Leah Vukmir, the other GOP candidate in the race, labeling her a 'crooked politician,' a 'Pharisistic Swamp Creature,' Nurse Ratched, a 'cry baby,' 'B-squad material,' 'stale bread,' a 'liberal Democrat' and a 'deceitful little snake.'"
  • "Steve...also took after Gov. Scott Walker for associating with Vukmir...'Yo Gov - you're starting to look like a sissy running around the state with Leah,' Steve wrote last week under her handle @PJsMask. 'She's taking away your manhood and credibility.'"
  • "Brandon Moody, a spokesman for Nicholson, downplayed the issue, calling it 'goofy, small-ball stuff.'"
  • "But a Vukmir aide said the social media posts crossed a line. 'It's appalling to see a member of Kevin's family say such vile things about Leah,' said Jessica Ward, campaign manager for Vukmir. 'There is no place for this sort of filth in the Republican Party.'"
• Leah Vukmir: "You know what you get with me...it's the roll of a dice with my opponent." [The Jay Weber Show, 3/26/18]
  
  • "[Nicholson] lists a slew of people and groups from D.C. who support him. And I think the people in Wisconsin want to decide who their next U.S. Senator is -- I don't think they want D.C. deciding."
  • "I truly believe this primary is between a Republican who has delivered on her conservative agenda, and one who merely says that he will -- you know what you get with me, Jay, I think it's the roll of a dice with my opponent."

"Credit where due: Vukmir and Nicholson are innovators when it comes to finding new ways to tear each other down," said Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 Senate race. "The GOP primary keeps getting nastier, but Vukmir and Nicholson have been steadfast in their shared commitment to a reckless, right-wing agenda that includes taking health care away from up to 30 million Americans and gutting Wisconsinites' Social Security and Medicare benefits."

MADISON - As she gathers momentum in her race for Governor of Wisconsin, Kelda Roys' groundbreaking campaign video also continues to spark a national conversation on women in politics.

Below is a sampling of some of the most recent coverage:

Her campaign ad was ‘sick’ and ‘tasteless,’ critics say. She was breastfeeding
The Sacramento Bee

The mudslinging campaign ad might have met its match
Minnesota Public Radio News (blog)

This [another] Political Candidate Breastfeeds in Her New Campaign Ad
Caitlin Moscatello, The Cut
03.21.18

Female Candidates Breastfeed Children In Campaign Ads
Danielle Kurtzlben, WNPR
03.23.18

If nothing else, maybe the mid-term elections will spell the end of the cliche political ad, in which some candidate puts on some flannel, chews on a little straw, surrounds him/herself with the kids and utters a bunch of cliches off bumper stickers.

Kelda Roys for Governor II Website II Twitter II Facebook II Click here to donate today!

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/michael-screnock-money-dpw-s5.pngWMC spending $1 million to purchase a Supreme Court seat for candidate Michael Screnock.

He's running for governor to serve the people of our state, not a political party, says Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

ALTOONA, WI - Wisconsin governor candidate Mike McCabe pledged allegiance on Thursday to all of the people of Wisconsin and not to any party, making him the one and only candidate running in the Democratic primary to publicly withhold a promise to endorse whoever wins the party’s nomination on August 14.

McCabe’s campaign issued the following statement expressing his thoughts on the matter:

“I am running for governor to serve the people of our state, not a political party. I will gladly make a Badger Pledge, but not a Donkey Pledge. I understand the impulse behind the question party insiders keep asking, but it is a losing impulse.

Democrats didn’t lose more than a thousand seats in Congress and state legislatures and governor’s offices throughout the country in the last decade because they have not been unified. They’ve lost so much ground because too many voters out there aren’t sure where Democrats stand and don’t trust Democrats to act on their behalf. Democrats don’t hold fewer offices across America than at any time since the 1920s because of a lack of party unity. What’s been missing is clarity of purpose and the courage of conviction.

Swearing a party loyalty oath sends the exact wrong message to the growing masses of people who are sick and tired of partisan gridlock in our government and politicians putting the best interests of their party ahead of what’s best for our state and our country. The voters who will decide this next election for governor are not sitting up at night wondering if all the Democratic candidates will support each other, they are questioning if they can count on a Democrat to look out for them.

In any case, endorsements are earned, not inherited simply because of a party label. The rest of the Democratic candidates are becoming more closely aligned with my vision for Wisconsin with each passing week. I was the first in this race to call for making BadgerCare a public health insurance option for everyone in the state, and now virtually the entire field has joined me in taking that position. I also was the first in the field to call for full legalization of marijuana, and nearly all the other candidates now are supporting it too. They’re sounding more like me all the time. They’re even dressing more like me.

I still have two questions for the others in the race that will weigh heavily in earning my endorsement should someone other than me win the August 14 primary election: Going forward, will you stop playing along with the corrupt campaign finance system that amounts to legal bribery and fund your campaign with large numbers of small donations from regular people rather than relying on wealthy donors and special interest political action committees? For the remainder of your campaign, will you lead by example by accepting no single donation over $200 and no more than a total of $1,000 from any supporter?

A new governor can and will be elected in 2018, but only if what’s best for all of Wisconsin is put ahead of party loyalty and the wishes of those at the very top who make a regular habit of giving mammoth donations to those seeking public office. After August 14, regardless of the outcome of the primary election, whether I win or lose, I will keep working to shake up and transform the political system that serves those at the top so well and will do everything in my power to get regular people in the driver’s seat of our government.”

State law allows candidates for governor in Wisconsin to take $20,000 checks from individuals and $86,000 donations from political action committees. Once elected, McCabe will push for passage of a package of reforms that sharply lower those limits. He isn’t waiting until after the election to act, however. He is running his campaign with a self-imposed limit on donations, accepting no single contribution of more than $200. Supporters are allowed to give more than once but not more than $200 at a time and no more than a total of $1,000 for the entire campaign.

"Scott Walker talks about fiscal responsibility, but he's one of the most fiscally irresponsible governors this state has seen," says Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

MILWAUKEE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn today attacked Scott Walker for his failure to live up to his campaign commitments to fiscal responsibility. Flynn offered his plans to restore fiscal responsibility.

"Scott Walker talks about fiscal responsibility, but he's one of the most fiscally irresponsible governors this state has seen," said Flynn.

As one example, Walker said in his 2010 campaign that he would "Require the use of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to balance every state budget, just as we require every local government and school district to do." The GAAP Fund deficit was $1.6 billion as of June 2017. At -$299, Wisconsin's balance per capita under GAAP was the second worst in the country in 2016. Only four other states had negative GAAP balances.

According to Politifact, "Walker, though, promised to balance 'every' state budget on the more stringent GAAP principles. He did not do that in his first budget…We rate this as a Promise Broken."

In the fiscal year 2011-12, the debt service on Wisconsin’s General Obligation Bonds was over $421 million. This more than doubled to $927 million in fiscal year 2016-17.  "Borrowing is a tax on our children," said Flynn. "I will stop mortgaging our children’s futures."

"As governor, I will restore Wisconsin’s proud tradition of honest, smart, and responsible fiscal policy while stimulating the economy and creating jobs," Flynn continued. "I won't send billions of our tax dollars to Foxconn or promote special interests through WEDC. I will make decisions based on what is best for everyone, not just the wealthy donors who support Scott Walker."

Flynn outlined a seven-point plan to restore fiscal responsibility in Wisconsin:

1. Establish measurable standards known as benchmarks. We will use benchmarks to track key fiscal and economic measures and publicize how Wisconsin is doing versus the benchmarks. Wisconsin's annual report is 254 pages long, but my fiscal benchmarks will fit on one page and be readily understandable. For example, we will set a benchmark of reducing the negative GAAP balance to zero and each year track our progress.
2. Legalize and tax cannabis. Legalizing cannabis would reduce the amount we spend on mass incarceration and law enforcement, and taxing it would create a reliable source of revenue. In 2017, Colorado tax revenue on the sale of cannabis surpassed $247 million and Washington State brought in $319 million. This is money Wisconsin could use to eliminate the structural deficit and invest in health care, education, infrastructure, and property tax relief.
3. Eliminate the manufacturing and agricultural tax credit. This massive credit allows corporations to take huge state subsidies without any requirements for additional job creation. I would use those funds to invest in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, which are essential to growing jobs and wages.
4. Rescind the Foxconn contract. This would save Wisconsin taxpayers $4.5 billion. Foxconn can come here, but they will not get our tax dollars and they will have to obey our laws.
5. Restoring the progressive tax structure. It is time we get back to helping working families rather than rewarding wealthy donors.
6. Close the "Dark Store" loophole. The loophole is allowing corporations to avoid paying their fair share in property taxes. Bipartisan legislation to fix it has failed under Walker's lack of leadership. I will pass it swiftly.
7. Accept back the funds we send to the federal government. Scott Walker chose not to accept over $1.5 billion in federal funds for BadgerCare and rail services so he could call himself a conservative in his failed 2016 presidential campaign. Why send our tax dollars to other states? We need a governor who puts the needs of Wisconsin above his political ambitions.

"If Scott Walker really wanted to make Wisconsin more fiscally responsible, he failed spectacularly," said Flynn. "It is time for a governor who will move Wisconsin Forward again to both faster job and wage growth and to fiscal policies that do not transfer responsibility for today's spending to tomorrow's taxpayers."

###

Matt Flynn is a Navy veteran, attorney, and former Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He graduated from law school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

For additional information, visit www.ForwardWithFlynn.com.

Residents in Green Bay and Wausau share their stories and contribute their vision for the state.

Drinking Water Quality in Some Areas of Wisconsin Worse than Flint Michigan. Evers’ plan targets water clean-up and keeping Wisconsin kids safe.

Governor candidate would use new source of revenue to fund expanded treatment options for those struggling with opioid and methamphetamine addiction and make higher education more affordable.

Gubernatorial candidate and successful businessman will share his real ideas for growing Wisconsin’s economy with residents on Thursday, March 15 from 3pm-5pm at Kavarna Coffeehouse.

STATEWIDE - By February’s end, Mike McCabe’s Principle Over Party campaign for governor had traveled more than 56,000 miles just since McCabe made his candidacy official on September 12, reaching out to voters in every part of the state.

The campaign made 196 stops, including 135 events open to anyone wishing to attend. In addition, the campaign held 141 neighborhood organizing meetings and volunteer trainings in communities across the state. A corps of 257 volunteers worked to make all these grassroots activities happen.

A volunteer-inspired voter outreach effort that started in La Crosse and quickly spread to Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Appleton, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Madison and elsewhere that’s been dubbed “people-powered billboards” involves volunteers standing for hours at busy intersections and high-traffic areas – often in freezing or even sub-zero temperatures – holding campaign signs, many of them homemade.

Another effort involves passing out brown paper bags containing 10 campaign flyers to people attending events who are willing to commit to talking to 10 other people about McCabe’s candidacy. The outside of each bag carries the handwritten message “This election is in the bag.” Well over 1,000 of the bags have been distributed to people interested in spreading the campaign’s message to others they know.

The Principle Over Party campaign emphasizes volunteer-driven grassroots campaigning as McCabe is breaking the mold by refusing to take the huge political donations other candidates for governor accept. While state law allows donations as large as $20,000 from individuals and $86,000 from political action committees, McCabe’s Principle Over Party campaign is not taking any single donation over $200. Supporters are allowed to give more than once, but no more than a total of $1,000 for the entire campaign.

“The huge donations most politicians are addicted to amount to legal bribes and they give us a government that works exceptionally well for those at the very top and fails the rest of us,” McCabe said. “A tiny segment of society has the habit of writing checks for $20,000 and handing them to candidates for office. What they want our government to do is vastly different from what regular people want our government to do. And this wealthy, well-connected and privileged few get their wish on every issue people care about.”

McCabe is a longtime independent government watchdog and veteran reformer. For 15 years, he led the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan watchdog group that tracks the money in elections, exposes corruption and works to make people matter more than money in politics. He went on to start up the grassroots group Blue Jean Nation, which works to empower regular people to challenge the political establishment to change its ways.

McCabe wants his campaign for governor to be a 21st Century version of how Bill Proxmire won statewide elections for 30 years in Wisconsin. Proxmire was famous for tireless, face-to-face campaigning and spent next to nothing on campaign advertising.

“If we are going to rid Wisconsin of the cronyism, corruption and legal bribery that has taken root in our state, we are going to have to invent a new politics that depends on a citizen army pounding the pavement to reach out to neighbors, friends, co-workers, family members and complete strangers alike,” McCabe said.

Through the end of February, the mileage tally for McCabe’s campaign stood at 56,260.