The Democratic Party of Wisconsin will find itself split in the February primary elections, when it will be forced to choose between two outstanding candidates for attorney general. Kathleen Falk, after much prodding from political insiders, including Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, decided to challenge current Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager in a hope for change.
Last year Lautenschlager was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. After consuming two glasses of wine, her blood-alcohol content was .12, over the legal limit of .08. Since it was Lautenschlager's first offense she got off easy with only a small fine and a short period of license revocation.
While the drunken driving charge itself is troubling, the circumstances surrounding it are of even more concern. Lautenschlager was driving a state-owned vehicle from Madison to her home in Fond du Lac, a vehicle not authorized for such purposes. While everyone makes mistakes, Lautenschlager seems to have a history of poor judgment, which does not bode well for the future of Wisconsin's top cop.
If Lautenschlager was to win the Democratic primary, the attack ads from Republican challengers would come in droves. Utilizing the video of Lautenschlager's arrest, the GOP would destroy her. She clearly does not have the best chance of winning the election. Enter Kathleen Falk.
An excellent, up-and-coming politician in Wisconsin, Falk would bring a new face to a position that is in need of change. Lautenschlager's spokesperson, Dan Bachuber, had this to say of her: 'Kathleen Falk shows an absence of experience as a prosecutor which would make anyone question why she would feel qualified for the job of Attorney General. Let's face it, experience matters to voters in Wisconsin.'
While Falk may not have experience as a prosecutor, she did serve as assistant attorney general for 14 years. Currently she is serving her third term as Dane County Executive where she has a strong record on law enforcement and safety, adding 85 deputies and nearly doubling the budget of the sheriff's department in the last nine years.
Falk has promised to make improvements where Lautenschlager has not. 'We must do better to protect consumers, fight for a clean environment and equal opportunity and protect a woman's right to choose,' Falk's spokesperson Melissa Mulliken said.
Lautenschlager has done a superb job as attorney general. She has built a strong relationship with law enforcement and gained a reputation of standing up to special interests. 'She does things because they are right, not because they are politically popular. You know where she stands'and it's for open and clean government, no matter what the cost,' Bachuber said. But with a scandal as big as drunken driving, she will have no chance of winning re-election.
This race is less about finding a qualified candidate and more about finding the best candidate possible. Lautenschlager has been a great attorney general, but her history of poor judgment will come back to haunt her if she wins the Democratic primary. With high levels of corruption seen in Washington and increasing disillusionment with elected leaders, voters are ready for a change, which Falk will be more than happy to give them. Experience may matter to voters in Wisconsin, but so too does integrity and good judgment.
