Former Sen. Lehman to Challenge Wanggaard
Wanggaard is facing a recall; he beat Lehman for the seat in November 2010.
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Former State Sen. John Lehman, of Racine, has announced he will challenge Sen. Van Wanggaard to retake the state senate seat he lost in November 2010.
Making the announcement at the Racine Public Library on Jan. 31, 2012, Lehman joked that he is 66-years-old, retired a year ago and wouldn't have considered running again -- but things have changed now that the GOP controls the House, Senate and Governor seats.
"In 2010, Mr. Wanggaard never once agreed to debate or answer questions about what he would do in Madison," Lehman said. "And, to my knowledge, Wanggaard has never once in his year in office appeared at a listening session or a public meeting where the critical citizen could ask questions."
Wanggaard defeated Lehman in November 2010, ousting the incumbent senator from his seat. Wanggaard, a Republican, is now facing a recall election, after organizers collected more than 24,000 signatures to try to remove him from office after only one year.
Lehman criticized the state GOP, and Wanggaard, for making massive cuts in public school and university spending, and how they "have done nothing about jobs and mislead Wisconsin about the power of state government to effect the economy."
Wanggaard has already issued a response to the news that he will again face Lehman in an election:
"Voters are going to have a clear choice. Do they want to go back to the Jim Doyle and John Lehman days of billion dollar budget deficits, lost jobs and skyrocketing taxes, or do they want balanced budgets, lower taxes and a Wisconsin that continues to move forward towards job creation, fiscal responsibility and common sense?"
Lehman is not the only Democrat announcing candidacy for a Senate recall today. The Wisconsin Democrats just announced that former Rep. Kristen Dexter and Rep. Donna Seidel would take on other recalled senators.
The Democratic Party said it is "essential to wrest control of at least one of the bodies that has shamefully made Wisconsin a leader in jobs loss, cuts to education and health care, and political division," and called the "strong recall slate" a "harbinger of victory."
skinnyDUDE
10:31 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Alot of reports by people looking at signitures of MASS fraud . Lehman wanting to go back to the public troff is not a surprise. If he wasnt running you just release that statement so this was just more about stating the obvious .
mau
10:59 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
BIG NEWS! Oh yeah! I thought this guy retired. Are we going to hear all the news about him double dipping? Another professional/perpetual politician/teacher, back in the running.
mau
11:11 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Isn't this the same ex-Senator, who was on leave of absence from his teaching position (12 yrs), and only after losing the election, retired.
Tim
11:36 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I thought they had a candidate? Double dipper, do nothing, draft dodger, raise taxes John!
Kringle Guy
11:40 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wanggaard sneaked past Lehman in 2010 with small percentage win. Lehman has a massive advantage now that GOP has flopped, cheated and got arrested. All he needs to say is: 15 Felony Arrests.
Tim
1:42 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Yeah! We got a TAX RAISER running for Senate. He's a double dipper.
He raised FEES last time. Do you want more of the same? NO
He's a draft dodger! Back in 1966 draft dodging may have been the rage, but it's now 2012 when AMERICA feels good about the Military. I don't care about your take on the (asinine) wars. AMERICA is feeling good about the military. You want your taxes raised? Vote for Lehman the draft dodger!
James R Hoffa
1:46 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
@Kringle Guy -
Van wasn't arrested and charged with 15 felonies, nor was anyone even remotely connected to Van! Are you guys that desperate that you need to spread outright lies to try and steal this recall election?
Fact of the matter is that Van had more bi-partisan supported legislation that he authored pass last year than any other state legislator - and he was a freshman! That's because unlike those who fled to IL, Van stayed and did his job.
Van's recall is nothing more than sour grapes over a single issue and you know it!
Tim
1:52 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Would you mind listing those 15 felony arrests on Waangard that you say is there? Can't do it can you? Stop blowing smoke. To quote--Stop peeing on my leg and calling it rain!
Brian Dey
1:31 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
i see all 4 of his supporters showed up. No offense, but this guy was the Education Committee Chair when I was on the Board, and RUSD actually lost more funding my last year on the Board than the funding lost by Act 10. He catered, literally to the donors of his campaign; i.e. AFSCME, REA SEIU, etc...
James R Hoffa
2:05 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
@Brian Dey -
Good insight on Lehman. Thanks for sharing!
Walker, Van, and Dey on to victory!
Racine Progressive
9:35 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Better not bet on that trifecta to win, Hoffa.
Hey, I'll bet you $10,000 that they lose.
Wait, sorry - I thought I was Mitt Romney for a moment there...
jt
10:17 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
that doesn't say much good about you either, does it brian?
James R Hoffa
2:04 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Coming from a family with WWI, WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War Veterans, I find it utterly despicable that a draft dodger would even consider running for public office. I can understand why Van didn't even want to be in same room with Lehman, let alone debate him.
Instead of defending his record under Doyle, all he does is attacks Van. Obviously, this guy doesn't have any good ideas except to raise taxes and play puppet to the special interest public sector unions that donate to his campaign.
This guy Lehman is a joke and should be run out of town, not running again Van in a frivolous recall election!
skinnyDUDE
4:55 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lehman was voted out for a reason. Those reasons still exist! I am glad he is the canidate. Shows the desparation the left is in . He will Lose again !
morninmist
3:35 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Van has and is hitching his horse to the wrong buggy!
@ShooterOneSix Shooter One-Six
BREAKING: In horse race between Scooter Walker being recalled and Imprisoned, Imprisoned is taking a COMMANDING lead! #wiunion #wirecall #p2
LangeTheThird Bobby Lange
Walker: Seems like every time ... there's another headline about our tax dollars being wasted. Fraud. Abuse. bit.ly/A7rEdU #wiunion
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400064_335583809807454_137375766294927_1106651_1008579433_n.jpg
GearHead
6:31 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Must like losing. Doesn't have much to run on, given his horrible record of spending, raising fees and taxes. Couldn't have been a math teacher, or an economist by the way he managed the budget.
Racine Progressive
9:29 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lehman will win - just as he has won before.
Racinians got tricked by Wanggaard and Walker in 2010, but we won't get fooled again.
Name-calling won't change the fact that we will make sure Lehman wins.
Racine Progressive
9:32 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lehman lost in the 2010 tea-party, but the party is over for Walker and Wanggaard.
Lehman represented Racine very well in the past and the working men and women want someone once again representing their interests in Madison.
Of course Walker might get arrested before he gets recalled.
skinnyDUDE
10:23 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
2010 tea party ?Tea party is a on going group , that will still be voting in any election. They certainly wont be supporting Lehman . His record is the opposite of what the tea party movement would support!
James R Hoffa
11:06 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Didn't Lehman represent the district when it experienced the worst number of job losses in the last 30 years? That would have been under Doyle's administration if I'm not mistaken.
So, Racine Progressive, how exactly did job losses, increased taxation, and deficit spending by a draft dodger help the working men and women of Racine? Why would anyone in their right mind want to go back to that?
Apparently, as Brian Dey pointed out, there are at least four (4) people that must prefer that to moving the state forward, and I guess you're one of them.
Best of luck to you with Lehman representing the Dems locally - he doesn't stand a prayer to Van's record of success!
jt
6:22 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
na, the tea party has ran it's course and is dyineg. they fooled the religeous people for a while, but now they're showing their horns and the core is falling apart.
morninmist
2:04 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Van just parrots Walker. Here is a very readable article.
http://www.piercecountyherald.com/event/article/id/42628/
Published January 31, 2012, 04:05 PM
Letter from Sen. Vinehout: Debt vs. Deficit
People I meet ask me “Do we have a deficit?” “Did the state really pay off all its debt?”
By: Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, Pierce County Herald
morninmist
3:03 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Van and Walker--two peas in a pod. ha ha.
LangeTheThird Bobby Lange
Walker: Seems like every time ... there's another headline about our tax dollars being wasted. Fraud. Abuse. bit.ly/A7rEdU #wiunion
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400064_335583809807454_137375766294927_1106651_1008579433_n.jpg
morninmist
3:52 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Van's friend here--step right up.
scottwalkerwtch scottwalkerwatch
Guide to the Main Players in the expanding FBI #Walkergate “John Doe” Investigation bit.ly/wewhhz #wiunion #wirecall #scottwalker
http://scottwalkerwatch.com/2012/02/01/guide-to-the-main-players-in-the-expanding-fbi-walkergate-john-doe-investigation/
James R Hoffa
6:25 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
@morninmist -
Why are you so scared of Van for?
BTW - Are you a public sector union member, as all of your tweeted posts on this board contain the hashtag "#wiunion"?
Suddenly, your predisposed and selfish bias becomes very clear, doesn't it?
Also funny how you don't even attempt to defend Lehman's record, but instead focus on trashing Van and Walker. Signs of desperation are abundantly clear.
Van and Walker shall prevail and you will be left crying on Twitter!
morninmist
7:27 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Top of the morning to you JRH--and a good one it is as we have 3 strong candidates now to run against the weasel TeaRepublicans in the Senate! Indeed a good morning.
Oh, and little tweet just for you that I ran across (of course it applies to all you TeaGOPer's)
WIProud Solidarity Wisconsin
RT @SpudLovr: Letters: Gov. Walker's supporters fail to see the truth oshko.sh/wYyyf1 #wiunion #recallwalker
morninmist
7:33 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Van needs to find some new buddies!
scottwalkerwtch scottwalkerwatch
Check out Scott Milhous Walker on a day not so far away bit.ly/yWZwtT #wiunion #walkerresigns #wirecall
http://scottwalkerwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/walker_says_goodbye.jpg
Keith Best
7:04 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Since the sky is NOT falling and Gov. Walkers reforms are working, I wonder what Lehman would have done to erase the $3.6 billion dollar defict Wis. had?
What would be his plan? How much would he have wanted to raise taxes?
Would he have ran and hid in Illinois like a coward?
These are all questions Lehman should have to answer.
Van Wanggaard deserves a parade in every city. town and village in his district. NOT some nonsense recall.