It looks like candidates in the Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin are heading toward a divisive and ugly contest.
Yes, it's the race to the left. The CapTimes reports on State Superintendent Tony Evers' defense of his progressive credentials :
“I’m a Plymouth progressive, I’m not a Madison liberal,” he said. "I’ve lived outside the Madison bubble for most of my life. I was born and raised in Plymouth. I worked all across central Wisconsin, so I know rural, I know urban. I’ve been involved with communities all across the state.
“The bottom line is I know I can unite this state.”
Evers has been the state superintendent since 2009 and was re-elected this year with 70 percent of the vote. He is the fifth candidate to declare that he will run against Gov. Scott Walker in 2018. Other candidates include political newcomers Bob Harlow and Michele Doolan, Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik and state Rep. Dana Wachs.
Host Mike Gousha noted that recently, an aide to Wachs referred to a candidate as a “Madison liberal,” although he did not name Evers specifically. Wachs himself distanced himself from the identity as a “Madison liberal” in a recent interview.
“Madison lectures to people. We need to listen to people,” said Wachs, who described himself as “a different kind of Democrat.”
Responding to Gousha's statement about the aide, Evers said he “was a little disappointed in the Wachs comments, because I think it was a slap also on Mary Burke and Tom Barrett,” two former candidates for Wisconsin governor.
Just to recap: State Superintendent Tony Evers entered the primary race last week, making him the fifth Democrat to compete for the chance to challenge Gov. Scott Walker. In response to Evers' announcement, the spokesperson for state Rep. Dana Wachs - who is also running for governor - said that "Dana will be the only candidate for Governor that has strong progressive values without the veneer of a Milwaukee elitist or a Madison liberal."
Ouch.