Even Sen. Barack Go Gwen! is now Go-to Gwen Obama knows ere’s a safe bet – many voters didn’t other member of Wisconsin’s Congressional dele- Milwaukee is know the name of Gwen Moore’s oppo- gation. It even surpassed the remarkable statewide Hnent until they read it on the ballot. margin for Sen. Herb Kohl, 67.4%, though the her House The freshman (make that freshwoman) Mil- better known Kohl surpassed her by 3% within the waukee representative, Wisconsin’s first African county. American in Congress, may turn out to be a guar- While the GOP wound up offering only token antee of failure for a longstanding Republicans resistance, Moore campaigned like she was run- dream – which is to break up the county as a ning against Ronald Reagan. Democratic stronghold. She hired a campaign manager, flooded the On Nov. 7, in unusually heavy midterm community with flyers and yard signs, sent money turnout, she scored figures to relish. She drew to other candidates and still flew back to D.C. to 71.5% of the vote in her district, helping drive do the public’s work. Gov. Doyle and Lt. Gov. Lawton to nearly 62% of Add fund-raisers, forums, and showing up as the county vote on their way to a 160,000 margin she always has at union rallies. She shrugged off over Mark Green. personal health issues to fulfill what became her The percentage of Moore’s win was not only main function – serving as cheerleader, champion crucial for Doyle. It was also higher than every Moore continued Page 6 More election coverage and photos inside Vol. 66, No. 11 Thursday, November 23, 2006 What now? State’s top Dems explore the near future By Dominique Paul Noth In Wisconsin, Gov. Doyle is Editor, Labor Press back in office, the Democrats emocrats have been control the Senate -- and the given a gift -- the Assembly Republicans have a "Dmajority," said Sen. narrow five-person majority Judy Robson, shortly after the rather than the two-thirds domi- Democratic caucus met and nance they once held among 99 named her the new majority members. leader in the state Senate. In D.C., Democrats have "I believe that we can now Congress, by one vote in the get things done that are very Senate and by about 30 in the important to labor, including House (with some races still minimum wage and (Ted) being recounted as we went to Feingold looks ahead Kennedy's bill on collective bar- press). But there is still President Bush with the biggest gaining," said US Sen. Russ than to the people and cities that Security guards hover with hands out to keep Bill Clinton megaphone and executive Feingold.. need help. With (Wisconsin Rep. from being pulled off the Milwaukee Theatre stage by ardent "It was a tremendous victo- David) Obey in charge of appro- authority, plus a lame duck ses- handshakers Nov. 3. See story Back Page. ry, but it's important that we priations, it's going to be fairer sion with Republicans in control Democrats don't emulate the and better." until January. Republicans in the arrogance Right after the election that "We're going to have to they have shown," said US Rep. changed the balance of power, watch this," said Feingold, par- Gwen Moore. Labor Press asked Wisconsin's ticularly concerned that the "Part of my expectations top Democrats to offer in inter- appropriations bill that must be involves the congressional distri- views some realistic expectations passed will tempt the bution of money," said about what will change and what Republicans to "tack on" such Milwaukee Mayor Tom can be done. things as a repeal of the estate Barrett. "For the last 12 years The weight of what hap- tax. Another on-guard area is earmarks have been directed pened was just settling in when Bush seeking to push through into Republican districts more we spoke: Future continued Page 4 Rove beached by swifter Labor 2006 hings were looking good popular vote and still lost). operation to turn around the vote. for the Democrats in the 2004 (when Iraq was clearly Doubt is unavoidable, but it Tweeks before the election. going south and tax relief was should never lead to paralysis. But too few believed it. only noticeable for the very It certainly didn't paralyze Conservative talk radio end- rich). A cloak of invincibility, Labor 2006. Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton plunges into a Pere Marquette Park lessly twisted expectations or at least Teflon, had stuck to Don't just ask re-elected crowd to kiss and hug longtime supporters. against the inevitable. (Nor did the GOP coupe driving the Gov. Doyle, whose numbers they apologize Nov. 8. They wrong way on I-94. went up in Milwaukee and other were still broadcasting from Mainstream pundits were centers of strong union member- President Bush's 51st State of also dubious. Virtually every ship. Don't just ask Jim Sullivan Denial.) news commentator threw in a in District 5 or John Lehman in For progressives, the doubts caveat up to Election Day: Karl District 21. They now occupy stemmed from bad memories: Rove was coming, with his 2000 (where Al Gore won the proven last-minute professional Labor 2006 continued Page 7 Page 2 — AFL-CIO MILWAUKEE LABOR PRESS, Thursday, November 23, 2006 www.milwaukeelabor.org Dominique Paul Noth, Editor of the Milwaukee A squeaker, but it’s Sullivan Labor Press, produced the political stories, ust as Jim Sullivan was rganized labor also profiles, opinions and photos in this edition. about to begin his accept- helped elsewhere to turn Jance speech at Miller Park's OBeloit's Sen. Judy Fridays restaurant on election Robson from minority leader to night, the management turned off majority leader as the Senate Finally, state voters the lights. went Democratic 18-15. It was closing time and the JOHN LEHMAN, an Assembly see the Dawn count had been delayed in veteran seeking to move up to Wisconsin District 5, which the open District 21 senate seat, ou can't say three times is a charm for Dawn Marie Sass. straddles Milwaukee County seemed far behind in early You wouldn't be counting high enough. This was her third and Waukesha County. And this returns until the full vote gave Yattempt to replace Jack Voight as state treasurer, and it was a time (poetic justice after all the him a comfortable 53-47 percent charm, but if you tote up all her past attempts to win public office it's false cries of fraud and finger- win out of some 60,000 votes more like six, seven times the charm. pointing at Milwaukee's election over Racine's well-heeled county Even her supporters have lost track. But for more than a decade she's been on some ballot somewhere. operation) it was Waukesha that Only flashbulbs illuminated exec. was overwhelmed by the new This was also a much- Sass has long lived in the twilight zone of try, try again. Fellow the acceptance speech of Jim union members who know her either admire her persistence or have machines and voter turnout and Sullivan, surrounded by his watched tally since William ran hours behind deadline in written her off as a perennial also-ran. sleepy family. McReynolds’ outside support counting ballots. groups had flooded the region No more, though. Riding the Democratic gale, the former treasur- The final count loomed as balance and intelligent progress TV and radio stations at the last er of her AFSCME District 48 local, a longtime Milwaukee County crucial. A victory for Sullivan to the district. He had opened minute with particularly ugly ads employee now working out of Children's Court, Sass broke through was central to returning himself to tireless door-knocking smearing Lehman's reputation Nov. 7. By some 9,000 votes in the current count, she supplanted Democrats to a majority in the and engaging the public individ- and principles, but to no avail. Voight, the veteran incum- Senate. ually and in groups. In Senate District 31, bent who had been under A win for incumbent GOP Reynolds in contrast seemed KATHLEEN VINEHOUT bumped Doyle the highest Sen. Tom Reynolds would be a to have an almost paranoid GOP veteran Ron Brown by 3 Republican official in state disaster for unions, which had response to TV cameras and the percentage points while District government. butted heads with Reynolds on concept of open debate. 23 was a cliffhanger that eventu- Sass has also run for labor bills and as the only no But Sullivan had strong ally ousted GOP conservative Milwaukee alderman and vote in both parties on a vital organization and support not just Dave Zien, replacing him with for Milwaukee County energy conservation initiative. from community groups but PAT KREITLOW. treasurer and clerk. The A Reynolds win would actu- through a landmark cooperation The 1,000 vote margin was new job, in the $62,000 ally make moderate Republicans in political activism between the another backfire example for the salary range, represents in the legislature secretly cringe, Waukesha and Milwaukee labor GOP strategy of placing two about an $18,000 bump in so difficult has he been to antici- councils. constitutional amendments on the pay for a largely unnoticed pate or work with. But it would The embarrassments of ballot. See opposite page. statewide race on which delight newspaper columnists, Reynolds, and the strong case hat totally surprised the she spent very little money. who have had grand fun with the being made for Sullivan, carried WRepublicans were the To give her credit, the eccentricities, ideological zeal the day, but just barely.