The Capital Times from Madison, Wisconsin • 9

BLOG LOG nr Madison Politiscope I By JACK CRAVER jcravermadison.com rr-r hi -'ml Progressives challenge incumbent Democrats for Assembly noted she was the only Democrat not wearing an orange T-shirt proclaiming support for working families. In the past, Democrats were more tolerant of these differences because Krusick represented a relatively conservative district centered on white, blue-collar areas of Milwaukees west side and the nearby suburbs of Greenfield and Franklin. However, under re-districting, the newly redrawn 7th District, which includes the village of West Milwaukee, is significantly more Democratic, making a challenge from the left more viable. Riemer, 25, says his candidacy is not just a response to Krusicks record. I didnt run as a Democratic candidate necessarily to oppose Peggy the new district is comprised of she different (former) districts, he reasons.

So far, the criticism he offers of Krusick is limited. He cites her vote against a proposal to restore cuts that Republicans made to technical colleges, as well as her vote against the 2009 budget, passed' when Democrats controlled the Legislature, which he credits with increasing access to BadgerCare. Instead, he focuses on what he believes is a leadership vacuum among young Democrats. Theres a tradition of young people in this area stepping up," he says, citing former Rep. Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee, who was first elected to the Assembly at the age of 20.

(Young peoples) perspective matters too. After an extended game of phone tag with Krusick, I was unable to reach her for comment. Finally, Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts, D-Middleton, is being challenged by Joe Wineke, a former state senator from the area as well From June 20 In the November elections, it will likely be tough for Democrats to maintain the majority they recently won in the state Senate, but they say their situation can only improve in the state Assembly, where the GOP currently holds a 59-39 majority. Joel Gratz, executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee, says the party has sights on 15 to 20 seats, including many that Republicans won in the GOP wave of 2010, when a mobilized Republican base turned out in droves and ousted Democrats in a number of districts that were long considered safe seats.

But there will be some infighting along the way. At least three incumbent Democrats are facing Aug. 14 primary challenges, forcing legislators and progressive organizations to pick sides. In inner-city Milwaukee, Democratic Rep. Jason Fields is being challenged by Mandela Barnes, a 25-year-old organizer for Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, a social justice group affiliated with various churches.

Barnes asserts that Fields, who has sided with Republicans on issues such as school vouchers and regulation of the payday loan industry, does not reflect the values of the overwhelmingly Democratic 11th District. He was the only Milwaukee Democrat who didnt offer any amendments to Act 10, says Barnes, in reference to the scores of amendments Democrats unsuccessfully proposed to Gov. Walkers anti-union bill last year. That raised some concerns. Sen.

Chris Larson, D-Milwau-kee, who unseated conservative as the former chair of the state Democratic Party. Pope-Roberts current 79th District, which includes Middleton and much of Fitchburg, was split into a number of different pieces by redistricting. As a result, she has opted to move into a new district the 80th which includes about 40 percent of the area she currently represents. I dont view this as her seat," says Wineke, a Verona resident. Ive lived there my whole life.

I was born in that district and shes never lived there. I think that matters. Pope-Roberts, who recently moved to Cross Plains, which is part of the new district, says Wineke has every right to run but views his challenge as playing into GOP attempts to distract Democrats from worthier endeavors. This is part of the whole end game of Walker and the Republicans -1 believe he called it divide and conquer, she says. Theyre trying to get us to aim at each other and waste ammunition." The party has made clear it considers Pope-Roberts an incumbent and therefore will support her in the primary.

Wisconsin Progress, a group recently founded to recruit and train progressive candidates for local and state office, is supporting challengers Barnes and Riemer but is staying out of the race between Pope-Roberts and Wineke. The organizations director, Scott Spector, says his mission is to build the bench for progressive Democrats in the years ahead. This means getting activists to run for local office, such as school and village boards, as well as replacing Democratic officeholders who are not seen as fully aligned with progressive values. of helping with policy, he says. He wasnt active at all in the recall I dont even think he signed the recall petition.

Fields, who endorsed Tom Barrett in the recall election, confirms he did not sign the petition to recall the governor, saying he did not believe it would produce an environment conducive to working with individuals in the Legislature. When we look at all the money spent in the recall, I would have preferred if we spent a lot of that money helping people in the black community, he adds. Fields touts the support he has from Milwaukee notables, including Barrett and City Council President Willie Hines. Another Milwaukee Democrat, Rep. Peggy Krusick, is also being challenged from the left by a 25 -year-old.

Her opponent, Daniel Riemer, is the son of Dave Riemer, a former Doyle administration official who unsuccessfully challenged Walker in the race for Milwaukee County executive in 2004. Krusick is likely the most conservative member of the Democratic caucus and has long been considered an outsider in the party. In addition to taking conservative positions on many issues, such as abortion and affirmative action, Krusick is described by Democrats as erratic and uncollaborative. Most people who meet Peggy understand that shes not an effective legislator," says Larson. While she voted against Walkers anti-union measures, she also voted against almost all of the union contracts that legislative Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to approve before the current governor took office.

During my visits to the Capitol during the protests last year, I STATE JOURNAL FILE PHOTO State Pep. Peggy Kruslck, D-Mllwaukee, Is being challenged by another Democrat In her bid for re-election this fall. Democrat Jeff Plale in a 2010 primary, is supporting Barnes, and says he expects a number of other legislators to do the same. Jason does not come to community events, he is not active in the (Democratic) caucus in terms June 27-July 3, 2012 THE CAP TIMES 11.