WisPolitics Budget Blog

Hey Xoff, a new client beckons;

From WisPolitics...
-- Gov. Jim Doyle is set to announce the departure of DOA Secretary Marc Marotta at a 2:30 p.m. press conference today, according to sources familiar with the governor's plans. Doyle also plans to announce Marotta's replacement at that press conference, scheduled to take place in the Governor's Conference Room at the state Capitol.

Soon to be former DOA Secretary, Marc Marotta, once ran for Congress (1992) when then-Rep. Jim Moody vacated to run for the Bob Kasten U.S. Senate seat, currently held by former State Senator Russ Feingold.

Does Marotta still have the campaign bug?

Justice Pat Crooks already announced his reelection intentions (July, 2005), presumably to deter such tier 1 opposition.

Time will tell if the simple action of announcing a candidacy serves to squash election dreams of other political heavyweights, especially in light of unrest with Crooks among the conservative and business activists.

See feedback to Xoff

Even with the base problem Crooks appears to have, I'd tip the scale in favor of his reelection (but not more than what my thumb could push down without notice).

Crooks looks like a judge...Marotta is an All-American.
Notre Dame alumni donors, versus Harvard alumni donors.
Crooks has an indicted State Rep. Scott Jensen problem to overcome,
Marotta has a Governor Doyle-judicial power grab issue to deal with.
Crooks needs heavy social conservative turn-out,
Marotta needs heavy Milwaukee/Dane axis turn-out.
Crooks has 40 years of spring voters reelecting sitting judges,
Marotta was an NBA draft choice

Supreme Court campaigns are famous for their lack of drama, which results in low voter turnout. This one, could, be loaded with drama.