Pat Kreitlow (D)
Life just got a whole lot tougher for one vulnerable Republican:
Former state Sen. Pat Kreitlow announced Monday that he intends to run for a U.S. Congress seat in 2012, saying he will fight against “this new war on the middle class.”
Kreitlow, who served one four-year term in the Wisconsin Senate as a Democrat from Chippewa Falls, plans to challenge first-year incumbent Sean Duffy (R-Ashland) for the 7th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kreitlow (whom we mentioned as a possible candidate just a couple of weeks ago) was also a local TV anchor before he first ran for office in 2006, so he's well-known in the region. Better still, Republicans will be hard-pressed to shore up Duffy's swingy seat in redistricting, given their need to protect a 5-3 delegation in a 50-50 state. (And if anyone has dibbs on a safer district, it's Paul Ryan.)
Of course, no one can save Duffy from himself. You remember, I'm sure, when he kvetched about his meager $174,000 salary at a town hall last month. Now he's done himself in by acting like a jerkface at yet another town hall:
DUFFY: If you look at PPACA, we’re taking 500 billion dollars out of Medicare to fund this program.
CONSTITUENT: That’s not true!
DUFFY: (laughs)
CONSTITUENT: This is about fraud and abuse. You see these things happen all over the country. They’re talking about money into Medicare fraud enforcement. 60 Minutes did a huge story, billions into Medicare fraud annually.
DUFFY: Let me tell you what. When you have your town hall you can stand up and give your presentation.
Seems odd that a guy best known for his appearance on a reality TV show would be not ready for prime time, but there it is! I'm willing to bet that Kreitlow, on the other hand, is quite ready.