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A Possible Answer to Slim Pickin's? Vote Kohl-Riggs for Governor

Fake candidates are filling up the ballots. Perhaps one of them can unseat Walker before the June recall election even arrives.

UPDATE: It has been brought to my attention that I have made an error in my original commentary. It seems that one can indeed vote for a Democratic Senator candidate while voting for a Republican Governor candidate. Please see below:

http://gab.wi.gov/node/2324

"The primary ballot and voting equipment will need to be prepared to treat each of the recall offices separately. This election will not be set-up like a normal partisan primary. Only candidates within a party that faces opposition will show up on the primary ballot. Candidates within a party that does not have opposition will not appear on the primary ballot. Additionally, Independent candidates will not appear on the primary ballot. Ballots and voting equipment will not have a party preference, as this primary will allow a voter to vote for only one candidate for each office, regardless of partisan affiliation. For example, a voter can vote for a Republican Governor candidate, and a Democratic Lt. Governor candidate. Although all offices will appear on one ballot, each office is separate and there are no partisan restrictions."

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Original: Late night talk show hosts and the like sure had a lot of fun with the recent collection of who-ha’s during this Republican primary race. I mean, really, it was like choosing between Muppet characters. But liberals, progressives, democrats – however described – have little room to laugh.

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Right now, in Wisconsin, the chief goal is to unseat Walker. And I am not convinced that the final list of opponents will be able to accomplish this crucial task.

Many people stood outside in the blistering cold, in soaking downpours and opened themselves up to much aggression in order to gather signatures to force this gubernatorial recall. To think that all of that effort will be in vain – it’s like a kick in the neck.

But wait. In the spirit of all the ridicudonk game play which has taken over Wisconsin politics, an interesting situation has arisen. A 23-year-old man named Arthur Kohl-Riggs has thrown his cowbell into the ring and is running as a Republican on the primary ballot against Walker. While many may question or criticize his motivations, it is a clever way to oust the Governor before the recall election even begins.

While it may not be popular to admit, there are many of us who are less than electrified about any particular Democratic/Independent candidate. I, for one, want to be sure that I am voting for the candidate who will beat Walker in that June recall election. Voting for Kohl-Riggs may just be the solution to our political pickle.

Problem is: voters who have senate recalls would be giving up that vote. I couldn't vote for Kohl-Riggs AND Lehman, for example. BUT there are many disctricts in Wisconsin which are not having senate recalls. How many of those voters will vote for fake Repubilcans?

I would like to say how disappointed I am in Russ Feingold. Two years. He couldn’t give us TWO YEARS?? With him on the ticket, I have no doubt that he would have knocked Walker on his fanny. Wisconsin needed him for this race. But I suppose we turned our backs on him not long ago and he has wiped his hands clean of our ungrateful apathy. Oh well, so much for high hopes.

I don’t have strong opinions about any of the , really. And that is exactly the problem. None of these people have the excitability we need to get people to the polls and vote out this devastating Governor.

There are a couple people in the running whom I honestly think would make decent candidates. But that is not the issue. Sadly, right now, it isn’t about who is the best person for the job, it is about who can get elected. Shocking? Sad? Pathetic? Perhaps. But true. In a couple of years we can put more energy into getting the very best person in; but right now, we need to focus on getting the very worst out.

There are many things about Vinehout that I think make her appealing. The independent Trivedi also has a few intriguing qualities. And I did vote for Barrett in the last gubernatorial election. But I do not have a comfortable confidence that any of these candidates will win against Walker – and the stakes are simply too high.

We live in an environment of misinformation, hostility and polarization. I am sorry to say that I just do not know what the majority of the public will do. I never expected the results we had when Walker was elected. Will individuals be choosing our next Governor or will corporations and unions have complete control?

Many people are questioning the legality or even the morality of “fake” Democrats running in the recall races. I had little doubt that Mielke, who was running as a democrat against Wanggaard, was indeed a fake and that . In the past year, there has been so much…how to put this nicely…tomfoolery in our state politics that it all seems like some reality show game of strategy. I am no longer surprised by anything.

I have often complained about our rules for primary elections. I feel that we should be able to vote for both Democrat and Republican candidates (eventually, I would love to be rid of the whole two party system all together). And in the past, there were times I felt my vote would be better used voting for a candidate I didn’t necessarily want to see in office.

At first it felt wrong voting that way, but then I realized our rules force us to choose and half the time we are voting for the least of the worst anyway. So, because of that, I have a feeling there will be a lot of liberal “Republicans” voting on May 8.

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