Wisconsin State Journal from Madison, Wisconsin • 4

FROM PAGE ONE Wisconsin State Journal A4 Thursday, October 25, 2007 Robson out, Decker in as Senate majority head jVO- ftjv li, Your Name Here rv y-f ((Ac' Secret ballot vote changes Democratic leadership after lengthy budget battle. By MARK PITSCH ilr I declined to comment or didn't return telephone calls. "They decided to go with more muscle, is the word she used," Wescott said of the change. Decker said he and Robson have different leadership styles. "I'm just more to the point widt policy decisions or discussions or getting things done," Decker "1 ii mpnscnwmaaison.com Robson Decker 608-252-6145 helped craft the final compro- said.

niise. Senate Minority Leader Risser said the budget was the Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and key factor in Robson's ouster. Huebsch issued statements con- "I felt diat there was a lot of gratulating Decker and saying frustration among the Democrats they look forward to working Senate Democrats replaced their leader Wednesday a day after pushing through a contentious budget compromise bill that dropped some provisions important to the group. regarding the budget activity and with him. On a secret ballot at the end of part of the frustration was taken Decker, 54, was first elected to the Senate in 1990.

Robson, 67, a private meeting of more than out on her, said Risser, who sup I ported Robsoa "The budget re- was in her first year as major-suit is what triggered the action in ity leader. She was elected to the the caucus." Assembly in 1987 and joined the Senate in 1998. Favored more muscle State Journal reporter Jason Stein contributed to this story. Most other Senate Democrats A 4 Mi ifrs yj FURNITURE JJ Furniture Super Savings Beautiful sofas, love seats sectionals with built-in recliners. Motion Sofas '3: tlW.

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Russ Decker, D-Schofield, to replace Sen. Judy Robson, D-Be-loit, as majority leader. "There was a need for a change," said Sen. Jon Erpen-bach, D-Middleton. "We really needed to get our issues out and explain why we feel die way we do.

Senator Decker is in a better position to be able to do some-diing like that." "I felt Judy had been doing a good job for our caucus," said Senate President Fred Risser, D-Madison. Decker, co-chairman of the powerful Joint Finance Committee, said he forced the leadership vote after some of his colleagues in recent weeks said they would support him in doing so. His supporters want to be "positioned better" leading into die 2008 elections. "I just think I bring a stronger message to the table," he said. Robson declined to comment, but a spokesman said she was surprised.

"She can't point to one thing," said Josh Wescott, her spokesman, of why some Democrats lost confidence in her. That level of ambiguity is disconcerting to her." A spokesman for Gov. Jim Doyle praised Robson but said the governor understands that political parties have internal disagreements over leadership. Risser said he and Sen. Roger Breske, D-Eland, counted the votes but vowed not to disclose the results, even to the Democratic senators.

But Risser said, "It was a very close vote." Wescott said the decision "may have come down to one vote." Risser and Assistant Majority Leader Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, will remain in their jobs. Committee assignments will be made later, Decker said. He added he would step down as chairman of the finance committee. la-z-bov Lane FREE DELIVERY TAKE UNTIL APRIL TO PAY A Just west of Madison off of Hwy 18151 inRidgeway I lOPQ PHONE 924-3211 255-0344 1-800-570-5322 lr UtrnTgri Till 1 1 raft; I FURNITURE RIDGEWAY If 1 iS) 'ii -a 1 1 I 1 "vh -i i V.L- ''-r fr Increased frustration Decker said Wednesday that frustration with Robsoris leadership had been building for weeks but that his ascension was not directly related to the outcome of the budget Robson negotiated with Doyle and Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem. That budget, which was nearly four months overdue, passed the Senate and Assembly on Tuesday and awaits Doyle's signature.

Decker said he and some other Democratic senators were disappointed that Doyle and Huebsch were negotiating directly with each other. The budget also failed to reflect some Senate priorities, Decker said. Those included a tax on oil companies that was proposed by Doyle and championed by Decker, a proposal Decker favored to tax companies based in Wisconsin but registered in another state, and a hospital tax proposed by Doyle. All were dropped from the final version of the budget Also jettisoned in negotiations was Healthy Wisconsin, the $15 billion universal health-care plan proposed by Erpenbach. Decker said the Senate will reintroduce the plan soon after making some minor changes.

Decker, who voted for the budget, said he would've "held out much longer" to make sure some of those priorities were included in the final budget compromise. But Matt Canter, Doyle's spokesman, said further delaying the budget was the wrong strategy- "Every single program important to Democrats was moved forward in this budget except Healthy Wisconsin," Canter said. Doyle supported Robson for majority leader, Canter said Tuesday night when Democrats first discussed Robson's performance. Wescott said Robson has "no regret" about the outcome of the budget, and he said Decker.