June 3, 2002
Elvis Impersonator Running for Gov.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSFiled at 1:00 p.m. ET
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A challenger to Gov. Scott McCallum has entered the race.
Elvis impersonator and former state Rep. Bill Lorge will seek the Republican nomination in the November race for governor.
Lorge made the announcement late Friday as Republicans gathered in Green Bay for their annual convention, but he said he had no plans to attend.
``I'm going to be out with the real Republicans,'' around the state, Lorge said.
Delegates on Saturday approved McCallum as their choice for governor.
Lorge said he thinks he can beat McCallum and ``save the party.''
McCallum campaign manager Darrin Schmitz said Lorge's decision won't affect the governor's campaign plans.
``We're going to stick to our message and if other people want to talk about what's good for Wisconsin, that's just fine,'' Schmitz said.
Lorge, 41, represented Bear Creek in northern Wisconsin for 10 years, in the same seat his father held for more than 30 years.
The self-described maverick Republican unsuccessfully sought the party's nomination for U.S. Senate two years ago and is now a real estate agent in Madison.
Lorge, who moonlights as an Elvis Presley impersonator, promised to leave his blue suede shoes at home during the campaign, but said he might pull them out if he were elected.
``If the president ever came to Wisconsin and said, 'Do a little Elvis for us,' well of course I would,'' he said. ``Everybody has to have a little fun in their lives.''
Lorge had considered running for Secretary of State, but said he decided to run for governor instead because none of the candidates is pushing hard enough for change.
``We need another reformer like Bob La Follette and I don't see that among any of the candidates for governor in either party,'' he said, referring to the state's progressive turn-of-the-century leader.
He said Wisconsin's reputation for clean government has been tarnished by recent scandals, including the investigation of illegal campaigning by lawmakers and legislative staffers.
``The whole nation knows corruption in Wisconsin is knee-deep,'' he said.
Lorge often clashed with Republican leaders in the Assembly, where he called for the elimination of the partisan legislative caucuses.
The caucuses have since been disbanded as state investigators probe the allegations into illegal campaigning on state time.
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On the Net:
Lorge campaign: http://www.hometown.aol.com/lorge2002
McCallum campaign: http://www.mccallum2002.com
