Tea Party And Club For Growth Still Trying To Help Democrats

by Stuart Shapiro

Control of the Senate is going to be an uphill fight for the Democrats in 2012.  They hold most of the seats up for reelection.  One of the most vulnerable is in Wisconsin where Senator Herb Kohl is resigning.  It seemed even more vulnerable when former Republican governor Tommy Thompson announced he would run for the seat.  But just when things look darkest, here comes The Club For Growth:

Former Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI) officially launched his campaign for U.S. Senate Monday, setting up a likely Republican primary against the more moderate former Gov. Tommy Thompson. . . Neumann’s likely opponent Thompson has been gearing up for the race, and has already been attacked by the conservative group the Club For Growth. Some of Neumann’s former aides now work at the Club For Growth, though Neumann said in the interview that he would not have any control over what the group does. “They support conservative candidates. We hope they’ll support us,” Neumann said of the Club. And regarding his former staffers, he said: “They are conservative people and they are dedicated to reducing wasteful spending.”

Oh, the Club will certainly endorse Neumann as will the Tea Party.  And the Democrats will be facing a candidate much easier to defeat than a former governor.  He won’t be as big a gift as Sharron Angle or Christine O’Donnell but he’ll be a big help.  Once again, on behalf of Democrats everywhere, thank you.

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.