Tommy Thompson looks hard at Senate bid

Politico ^

[AlanD]

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who served four terms as Wisconsin governor, is securing financial pledges and ramping up his outreach to longtime political aides in preparation for a possible campaign against Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

Thompson has alerted his Washington-based law firm of his moves and is contacting key clients about the prospect of challenging Feingold, the most tangible signals yet that he’s seriously exploring a 2010 campaign.

“The governor has taken additional steps in the past week and will continue to do so over the next several weeks. If the meetings go well, you can expect to see an exploratory committee set up near the end of March,” former state commerce secretary and Thompson campaign manager Bill McCoshen told POLITICO.

Another longtime Thompson ally said the governor already has $200,000 in potential donations for a campaign that doesn’t yet exist.

“If you talked to me two weeks ago, I would have put it at a 50-50 shot. Now it’s at 70,” said the Thompson aide, who requested anonymity to avoid offending his friend. “He’s asking serious questions like, ‘Who would run the campaign? Who would do the fundraising? When would we announce? How much could we raise?’”

Thompson holds a slight 5-percentage-point edge, 48 percent to 43 percent, in the Rasmussen Poll.

[Kozak]

It’s sort of wierd, because out in the countryside (like in Wisconsin) the folks are very conservative, yet seem to think they should vote for Democrats.

All those good little Socialists who moved to Minnesota from Sweden and Norway and founded the Farm Labor Party.

[dangus]

He’s better than Feingold, but I do wish Rep. Ryan would run.

[Luke21]

My father was a member of the Marine Corps honor guard that laid the great senator to rest. Members of the press outraged Mrs. McCarthy by threatening to spit into the casket at the funeral. Dad told her he would draw his sword if any of them dared try. He was a Guadalcanal veteran. The slimy media was all talk. God rest you, Dad.

As for Tommy, he's a good man and was a good enough governor, but he's a lawyer who likes positive crap written about him in the press. He contacted Washingtonitis, not because he's a player or betrayer like McCain, but because he's a bumpkin.

Still, he's the only current pol that can take out Feingold, one of the filthiest little cockroaches in the senate. Tommy hasn't had a good fight since he bounced Anthony Earl two decades ago. Here's to old Tommy.

[AlanD]

Ryan is the top Republican on the powerful Budget committee and he will hopefully be the Chairman either this year or in 2012,

[mkjessup]

If he [Thompson] would vote for Obama's health care, why put him in office? I mean there are some things even Snowe and Collins won't vote for.

EXACTLY. We don't need more RINOs in Washington, we need principled, conservative Republicans, REAL Republicans, and Thompson ain't it.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Another thing, isn’t Thompson supposed to be some big pro-lifer? Yet he would support a bill that would allow federal funding for abortions? And this is the guy we are supposed to get all happy about?

[mkjessup]

“just what IS your game anyway, eh n00b?”
With the info you just supplied it seems to me that his game is to get Republicans elected no matter what they believe. “
But he only pimps for RINO Republicans. Check his posts.

What's this I hear about a threatening FReepmail? That sounds a bit foolish for a n00b, if you know what I mean?

[mkjessup]

My father was a member of the Marine Corps honor guard that laid the great senator to rest. Members of the press outraged Mrs. McCarthy by threatening to spit into the casket at the funeral. Dad told her he would draw his sword if any of them dared try. He was a Guadalcanal veteran. The slimy media was all talk. God rest you, Dad.

Your Dad was a Marine's Marine. Good for him.

As for Tommy, he's a good man and was a good enough governor, but he's a lawyer who likes positive crap written about him in the press. He contracted Washingtonitis, not because he's a player or betrayer like McCain, but because he's a bumpkin.

Well he's not the first to suffer from that affliction, and he certainly won't be the last.

Still, he's the only current pol that can take out Feingold, one of the filthiest little cockroaches in the senate. Tommy hasn't had a good fight since he bounced Anthony Earl two decades ago. Here's to old Tommy.

Well I may not be a fan of Tommy, but if he can send Foolsgold into the retirement home, it would be a net improvement, just like Scott Brown was as conservative as Massachusetts could handle in that Senate contest.

The funny thing that seldom gets reported about the late Senator McCarthy is that he was a close friend of the Kennedys, Bobby Kennedy worked for Joe McCarthy, shared a common view of the threat of Communism, and RFK admired McCarthy so highly that he asked Joe to be the godfather to Kennedy's first born, Kathleen Kennedy (Townsend).

Drop that little tidbit in the middle of some champagne sipping liberal party clique and you'll see them all choke on their horderves, lol

[stephenjohnbanker]

“The funny thing that seldom gets reported about the late Senator McCarthy is that he was a close friend of the Kennedys, Bobby Kennedy worked for Joe McCarthy, shared a common view of the threat of Communism, and RFK admired McCarthy so highly that he asked Joe to be the godfather to Kennedy’s first born, Kathleen Kennedy (Townsend).

Drop that little tidbit in the middle of some champagne sipping liberal party clique and you’ll see them all choke on their horderves, lol “

Damn, I didn’t know that. Looking forward to using this info!

[Retired COB]

It’s getting better, but it will take another century to get Wisconsin and Minnesota people to actually vote Republican more often than not.

Ya mean there might be some hope for West Virginia eventually?

[Retired COB]

If it is one of the two already running or Thompson they would be far better than Feingold that is for sure

If we get rid of McCain and Feingold in the same year, I'll think I've died and gone to heaven.

[freespirited]

They are all attention whores.

[DM1]

if we picked up Obama and Bidens seats (RINO or NO RINO it still would be sweet), got rid of Feingold, Boxer and Specter i think i would be dreaming
its all possible though a tall order i like to aim high

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My FreepMail from “Newbie,” AlanD...

‘Stop calling me names, Bozo.’

Yep. You’re making friends right off the bat, LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Nothing new for this newbie, Diane. We caught him pimping for McCain on several other threads, so now he dun found himself a new RINO ;-)”

Kinda had that feeling. He sent me a Freepmail (see above) telling me ‘not to call him names.’ Now, really. A true Conservative would at least bring our fight to the public round, LOL!

Girly-Men. Feh.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“...but it will take another century to get Wisconsin and Minnesota people to actually vote Republican more often than not.”

About the same time all of us will get high-speed internet out in the sticks, Eh? LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“McCarthy was the last good Senator we had from Wisconsin.”

Hey, PL! Nice to see you!

At least you’ve gotten to HAVE one in YOUR lifetime. I’m still waiting...and time is runing OUT! :)

[stephenjohnbanker]

“Girly-Men. Feh.”

LOL!

[SteveAustin]

This is good news. I could care less that Tommy Thompson can’t pass some RINO litmus test.

The facts on the ground are that my State (Wisconsin) is a socialist workers paradise and if we weren’t so small, we’d be the equivalent of California or New York, two other States controlled by liberals. The only way Feingold gets beat is by a guy who the moderates will come out in droves for. And that is Tommy.

People can rip on all his flaws. I can rip on all his flaws. But he took office in 1986, when this State was going down the drain. He rebuilt the business climate and brought a lot of prosperity here that has since left.

If he enters the Senate, he’s not going to be voting the wrong way. This won’t be Olympic Snow part deux or something like that.

And he’s the only guy who will be guaranteed to beat Russ Feingold.