Althouse: On winning the GOP Senate primary, Tommy Thompson says: "Ladies and gentlemen, Wisconsin is on a roll."

August 14, 2012

On winning the GOP Senate primary, Tommy Thompson says: "Ladies and gentlemen, Wisconsin is on a roll."

"Coming down the steps, Congressman Paul Ryan called me and he said, we're going to take the state back and we are going to take our country back, ladies and gentlemen."

ADDED: I had thought Eric Hovde was an interesting newcomer, but he was also a bit of a risk for the GOP. Thompson was a sensible choice, and it's hard to imagine him not winning in the fall. He's so well-known and liked statewide, and the Democrat, Tammy Baldwin, is a Madison character (with the leftish politics that implies).

37 comments:

Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Election polls since Brown 2010 have been consistently saying one thing... while the Obama approvals and swing and daily running tracking and fielding hand in glove.... take a breath... have been saying another.

I dont trust them one little itibiti bit.; 8/14/12, 11:42 PM
Sorun said...: I never realized how much hostility I had toward boring old men until I saw a Tommy Thomson commercial. The old fart who retires, then changes his mind and demands to be relevant again.

But I sure as hell won't be voting for the that Madison dingbat in November.; 8/15/12, 12:02 AM
Tim said...: I voted for Neumann but Tommy isn't a bad guy.

Are you going to predict by how much he'll beat Tammy Baldwin?; 8/15/12, 12:22 AM
Bender said...: If we are going to have an aristocratic oligarchy, why bother with elections?

Once "Tommy" said he wanted the seat, then that should have been that and the seat was his.

And such a great lifetime ruler he has been too, one of the architects of the crapocracy that we enjoy so much today.; 8/15/12, 12:46 AM
SmartAssets said...: I don't know if Wisconsin is on a roll, but it's definitely in the news.

If he wins, how many terms do you think Tommy will last?; 8/15/12, 12:53 AM
ignatzk said...: Will Tommy be able to match the dollars incoming to Baldwin from the national homosexual and feminist advocacy groups?; 8/15/12, 12:57 AM
David said...: Tommy will last one term.

Assuming he beats Baldwin, he may play more of a role than you might think. We have too many smartasses in DC. Tommy is not a smarts.

Glad it wasn't Hovde. Did not get a good vibe from him.; 8/15/12, 1:14 AM
Methadras said...: He will beat baldwin by 7 - 10 points I think.; 8/15/12, 1:34 AM
Seven Machos said...: Poor, poor Bender. First Romney, then Ryan,now Thompson. Will injustice never cease?; 8/15/12, 1:37 AM
frank said...: When Reince Priebus holds his first "beer summit" with Tommy Thompson, Paul Ryan and Ron Johnson we'll know 2 things--real men drink Wisconsin beer and real problems will be solved. Even metrosexuals will be able to move out of their mommy's house and get a real job. Heh.; 8/15/12, 4:45 AM
sdharms said...: how do you explain the 60%+ non-Tompson vote?; 8/15/12, 5:35 AM
Ross said...: Probably the same way people explained the 60%+ non-Ted Cruz vote. Primaries are like that sometimes but then people unite.; 8/15/12, 6:34 AM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: Eric Hovde conceded immediately and asked his supporters to fully support Tommy Thompson in every way possible.

Maybe Tommy will become Wisconsin's version of Strom Thurmond who held office until decrepitude.; 8/15/12, 6:43 AM
Curious George said...: "sdharms said...
how do you explain the 60%+ non-Tompson vote?" Three other conservative candidates. Two pretty well known with their own base and one with lots of money and effort.; 8/15/12, 6:58 AM
frank said...: If Tommy serves one term in Congress, he'll do more his first day than Tammy has done in over 20 years in Congress. He will NOT vote for dingy, dirty Harry Reid as Leader.; 8/15/12, 7:05 AM
SmartAssets said...: "In the final week of his primary campaign, Tommy G. Thompson, the 70-year-old former governor of Wisconsin, performed 50 push-ups for a local newspaper editorial board to prove he was spry enough for the Senate post he is seeking."

So on second thought, maybe he will last a while. And he is ready, in case the Badgers go on a scoring binge vs. UTEP.; 8/15/12, 7:12 AM
Michael Haz said...: I voted for Eric Hovde, but Tommy is a great candidate and will beat Tammy Baldwin.

I'll predict here that his margin of vistory over Bladwin will be greater than Romney's margin over Obama. Tommy will pull Dem crossover voters, particularly in the western part of the state.

He has won all six atatewide elections he entered. That's 6-0, liberals. Maths.

He may be a one-termer, but so what? He will not be a fresh rookie unfamiliar with DC and the Senate. Very little ramp-up time will be required.

The WI Republicans have phenomenal bench strenght, and in six years if Thompson chooses not to run, there will be excellent candidates to replace him.

A big shout-out to Mike Tate and Graeme Zielinski, the children in charge of the Democrating Party of Wisconsin, and the leadeers and members of the public employee unions.

Their insistance on recalling Walker resulted in the WIGOP building a strong, smart statewide campaign organization that is being fully utilized by the Romney campaign, and now the Thompson campaign.; 8/15/12, 7:26 AM
frank said...: My bad--make that 14 years in Congress for Tammy--of doing nothing but holding hands with Nancy.; 8/15/12, 7:27 AM
Brennan said...: It's too bad Baldwin ran uncontested. It would be nice today to compare primary turnout.; 8/15/12, 7:34 AM
frank said...: Hey AP/GM, is it true Obama has pulled their ad buys in Wisconsin?; 8/15/12, 7:35 AM
alan markus said...: @Michael Haz

A big shout-out to Mike Tate and Graeme Zielinski, the children in charge of the Democrating Party of Wisconsin, and the leadeers and members of the public employee unions.

Their insistance on recalling Walker resulted in the WIGOP building a strong, smart statewide campaign organization that is being fully utilized by the Romney campaign, and now the Thompson campaign

Here! Here! I lift my glass in appreciation for all that has been done. I no longer resent all the fatigue we suffered due to the antics of the left here in Wisconsin. To see how this has changed the game nationwide makes it all worthwhile.; 8/15/12, 8:43 AM
Curious George said...: "Brennan said...
It's too bad Baldwin ran uncontested. It would be nice today to compare primary turnout."

This speaks volumes regarding the Dems here in Wisconsin. The rarity of an open Senate seat, and only Baldwin steps up? Wow.

The cupboard is bare man.; 8/15/12, 8:52 AM
Brian said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/15/12, 9:09 AM
TosaGuy said...: The WI Dems have an exceeding weak bench right now.

Last night, the Prog wing of the party led by State Senator Chris Larson dispatched two incumbant legislators who didn't vote 100 percent Dem. Larson is a type of senator that will kill a mining bill out of spite even though two of the largest mining equipment manufacturers in the world are located in or near his district.

He has succeeded in being a local power broker, but neither he, nor his minions, will be able to compete for statewide office.

Just one example of why the Dems have no statewide bench.; 8/15/12, 9:09 AM
Known Unknown said...: Call me butter cuz I am on a roll.; 8/15/12, 9:31 AM
alan markus said...: @ Tosa Guy

Just one example of why the Dems have no statewide bench.

I'm wondering how deep the Dem's bench is nationwide.

There are 7 Governors under the age of 50, and 6 of them are Republicans.

As Romney & Ryan campaign, I wonder what the impact will be when they share the stage with the likes of "rock stars" like Scott Walker (again, thank you WI for elevating him to that status) & Chris Christie. Then you have Nikki Haley & Bobby Jindahl - showing diversity in race & gender.

Downticket, who are the faces of the Democratic Party? Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Al Grayson?; 8/15/12, 9:40 AM
M.E. said...: I voted for Hovde but am fine with how it turned out. Hoping Hovde will campaign for / with Tommy. I think he'll have huge appeal for independents / moderates. And: he promises to vote for the repeal of Obamacare!; 8/15/12, 9:54 AM
chickelit said...: sdharms said...
how do you explain the 60%+ non-Tompson vote?

Confidence, complacency and a bit of fatigue.; 8/15/12, 10:15 AM
Rich B said...: As long as Frank Lautenberg is in the Senate, Thompson will look like a callow youth.; 8/15/12, 10:15 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: John Hickenlooper is a Democrat with a future. While I liked the line "Thompson added, "We have 83 days. I need your help. I want you to drink a beer tonight, a Wisconsin beer, and I want you to help me win this state..." because of the beer talk, Hickenlooper owned (or owns) a brewery.

A cool one, downtown where it used to be dangerous (for Denver) but is not now at all, with a pro billiards player based upstairs and a comedy theater downstairs.

I know people who voted straight ticket Republican except for Hick, although Colorado's Gov. race was severely whacked because of an untested primary winner being a dumbass thereby creating a three-way race.; 8/15/12, 10:18 AM
BarrySanders20 said...: I voted for Fitzgerald but have no problem voting for Tommy -- not Tammy -- in November. I have to think this will be a 55-45% win for Tommy, larger than Walker's win over Barrett. The Tommy vote will also help Romney/Ryan, maybe enough to carry Wisconsin. It may come down to the margin of fraud from Illinois voters coming to WI to record a vote that makes a difference.; 8/15/12, 10:32 AM
TosaGuy said...: I looked up Hickenlooper.....a very intersting individual.

I wonder how he fits in with the "you didn't build that" wing of the Democrat Party.; 8/15/12, 10:34 AM
MadisonMan said...: So we get to vote for two politicians who haven't had a new idea between them since the 1990s, and who are running propelled mostly by inertia and a sense of entitlement.

Gag me.; 8/15/12, 10:40 AM
Kirk Parker said...: sdharms,

What's to "explain"? For sure the Anybody-But-Thompson contingent was a tiny, tiny fraction of the overall total. He'll do fine in the general.; 8/15/12, 10:45 AM
chickelit said...: Gag me

Oh come on MadisonMan--you'll open wide and say "a" and not "o" in November. If not, that would something new.; 8/15/12, 10:53 AM
MadisonMan said...: I prefer Thompson at the moment, if only because he's old enough that he'll just be a placeholder in office.; 8/15/12, 10:55 AM
hawkeyedjb said...: "Wisconsin is on a roll"

So is president Obama's dog. I hope Wisconsin fares better.; 8/15/12, 12:01 PM