Possibly aiming to become the Buffalo Bills of Wisconsin politics, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) is considering a fourth run for governor, according to a report by Gannett political gossip columnist Dan Bice.
“Sources confirmed this week that the fourth-term mayor has been sounding out his team of advisers about entering the Democratic primary for governor later this year,” Bice reported.
Barrett has $600,000 in his campaign fund and higher name recognition statewide than any of his potential Democratic rivals. However, Barrett lost in the Democratic primary for governor to then-Attorney General Jim Doyle in 2002. He then lost to Governor Scott Walker in 2010 and in the recall election in 2012. The latter election was widely seen as “a do-over” that failed miserably, emboldening Walker to run for president.
Barrett’s loss that night will be remembered because a Democratic activist slapped his face after he quickly conceded the election. CNN posted the video on YouTube:
Republicans are welcoming Barrett to the race. “The fact that ‘Try It Again’ Tom Barrett is preparing a fourth run for governor is proof positive that the Democrat establishment is struggling to salvage this race from a wide-open field of candidates with no plan aside from attacking the Wisconsin comeback led by Scott Walker,” state GOP spokesman Alec Zimmerman told Bice.
The weak Democratic field of gubernatorial candidates has attracted another potential contender, liberal radio talk show host Mike Crute. Crute, who co-hosts the Devil’s Advocates Radio Show on WRRD 1510 AM in Milwaukee and WTTN 1580 AM in Madison and Columbus, told the Wisconsin State Journal he’s interviewed all of the other Democratic candidates for governor and wasn’t impressed with any of them.
“I don’t think any of them are being bold enough as campaigners to beat Scott Walker,” Crute told the State Journal. “I’m going to be shockingly bold. That means tune in.”
Crute has hired former “non-partisan” Government Accountability Board (GAB) attorney Shane Falk to be his election attorney. Falk was a key figure in the illegal and unconstitutional “John Doe II’ probe into conservative organizations. In a report on the GAB investigation and the records they kept, state Attorney General Brad Schimel recommended Falk be referred to the Wisconsin Court System’s Office of Lawyer Regulation for discipline.
