April 9, 2009

Then they asked Gableman

In an interview after losing his bid for a seat on the state Supreme Court, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick said he was asked whether he would be interested in running last year but decided against it.
Asked by whom?

Wouldn't that be just slightly more newsworthy than the asking?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

But it's the question no one needs to ask because everyone in the game knows it was the WMC. For the past few years the WMC has maintained a list of their ideal pro-business candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Many, but not all, are sitting circuit court judges. Zeigler and Gableman both came off that list. Gableman though was something like number 12 or 16 on the list. I don't remember the number, but he was far from their first choice. Everyone above him on the list declined. Say "yes" and the WMC agrees to back you and funnel money from other outside groups. It's a deal both Gableman and Zeigler signed on to take. (I don't remember Roggensack's campaign well enough to know if she did also.)

Koschnick was, therefore, just one of a number to say "no" to run against Butler. Michael Brennan said no, for example. I don't know if that played into the WMC's decision not to back Koschnick. I mostly think the WMC is laying low for the 2010 elections and they couldn't risk another wave of backlash like the earned backing Gableman.