Bingo: Annoying the Anointed Part II

I was wondering this evening what kind of blowback the Joe Reasbeck story was getting lately and am happy to report that my initial suspicion that Reasbeck was running his spoiler campaign, costing True Democrat State Senator Julie Lassa a little more coin than originally intended, because he doesn’t like political anointment.

From Wisconsin Rapids Tribune:

“‘Maybe some party insiders feel like we should have a coronation. I'm of the mindset that we should have a debate,’ said Reasbeck, referring to the party's selection of state Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, to seek the seat that will be vacated by Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, upon his retirement next year.”

And another thing. I was willing to give Reasbeck the benefit of the doubt that he was sincere in his party switching – I was – but now we learn from this news item that Reasbeck actually registered as a Democrat just days before he made his announcement.

“However, Democratic Party 7th District Chairwoman Jan Kelton says there are some issues with Reasbeck’s political history that raise questions about his seriousness as a candidate. Kelton points to a 2006 race in Texas, where Reasbeck ran as a Republican in the 22nd Congressional District. As a write-in candidate, he received only 89 votes. Also, Kelton says Reasbeck joined the Democratic Party of Wisconsin just days before declaring his plans to seek the nomination in the September Primary.”

So in 2006 Reasbeck ran as a Republican in a Republican-dominated congressional district (Tom DeLay received 55.16% of the vote in the 2004 election) and in 2010 Reasbeck is running as a Democrat in a Democratic-dominated congressional district (David Obey garnered 60% of the vote in 2008).

And in each case his sole purpose in running is to “have a debate” with the candidate that has the apparent support of the respective party insiders.

Something he didn’t get in 2006, at least, and I suspect this might happen (or in this case, not happen) again.

Because should a debate happen, one of the first things I would ask of the candidate is why couldn’t “one of his top legislative priorities…to promote policies that expand high-speed Internet” in rural areas of Wisconsin be viewed as massively self-interested since expanding the high speed internet is his business and livelihood.

I’d like to hear him answer that question.

I find it interesting that this year in TX-22 we Democrats have a congressional nominee in Kesha Rogers, who has put on one-too-many tinfoil hats, and in WI-7 they have at least a distant potential of having a congressional nominee in Joe Reasbeck, who may have hit the wrestling mat a little too hard on more than one occasion.