On Tuesday, residents of Wisconsin's 13th State Senate District will be asked to choose between three candidates: Scott Fitzgerald, the incumbent Republican who is viewed by many as Governor Scott Walker's right-hand man, Lori Compas, a wedding photographer-turned-Democratic challenger who, with minimal assistance from Wisconsin Democratic Party operatives, gathered enough signatures to force Fitzgerald to defend his seat in a recall election, and Terry Virgil, who is on the ballot as a Libertarian. I can't imagine any scenario in which Terry Virgil would play anything more than a spoiler role in this recall election, so, for all intents and purposes, it's Scott Fitzgerald versus Lori Compas in the 13th Senate District recall election.
Scott Fitzgerald, along with Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, who happens to be Scott's brother, turned the Wisconsin State Legislature into a clearinghouse for Governor Scott Walker's destructive legislation, including the fiscal-less "Budget Repair Bill" in which most public-sector workers in Wisconsin were stripped of most collective bargaining rights and Scott Fitzgerald convened a now-famous conference committee hearing in violation of Wisconsin's open meetings laws, and the redistricting bills in which the Fitzgeralds used a series of "secrecy pledges" in order to prevent Republicans from turning against the bill. Scott Fitzgerald has abused his power as the leader of the Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate in order to advance Governor Walker's "divide and conquer" agenda, and even many Republicans in Fitzgerald's district are angry at him for being an extreme and divisive legislator.
Lori Compas's efforts to recall Scott Fitzgerald have earned her national attention, both by this political blogger from Illinois who is writing the diary you're reading, and in the New York Times. Because the Wisconsin Democratic Party refused to back a recall effort against Scott Fitzgerald because Fitzgerald's district was presumed to be a "safe Republican" district, Compas herself organized a recall petition drive against Fitzgerald and somehow gathered enough signatures to force Fitzgerald back onto the campaign trail. When the Democratic organization had trouble recruiting a Democrat to run against Fitzgerald, and Republicans planted one of their own operatives, Gary Ellerman, into the race as a Fake Democrat, Compas herself ran in the Democratic primary, defeating Ellerman with a staggering 72% of the vote.
In a short amount of time, Compas has built an impressive coalition of voters including the Democratic base, moderate Democrats, and even moderate Republicans, without alienating any of the three groups. Fitzgerald, realizing that Compas is a more formidable candidate than he thought she would be, tried to discredit Compas's efforts, suggesting that unions, protest groups, and...get this...her husband, were the driving force behind her campaign. Needless to say, Fitzgerald's misogyny was revealed in his remarks, which he made to the Wisconsin State Journal, a Madison-based newspaper. Compas responded with this YouTube video.
The moderate Republicans who are backing Lori Compas are what I would call Compas Republicans. While they self-identify as Republicans and do not agree with Compas on many issues, view Fitzgerald as divisive, extreme, and out of touch. The most notable of the Compas Republicans is Barbara Lorman, a former Republican State Senator who was defeated by Fitzgerald in the 1994 Republican primary in the 13th Senate District. Lorman wrote this Letter to the Editor for the Madison-based Cap Times newspaper:
Dear Editor: Why would a longtime Republican and former legislator vote for Democrats Lori Compas and Tom Barrett? Why would a business looking to expand consider moving to a state that is ruled by right-wing extremists whose ideology has caused endless conflict? Why would anyone look up to leaders on a mission to tear apart public education just when we need educated workers more than ever?
I believe a national agenda is at work here that has little or nothing to do with us and a lot to do with changing how we will look to the rest of the nation. Ask yourself if you want us to look like those states where parents with enough money avoid the public schools.
Of the many issues that have upset so many, I worry most about the undermining of public education. Just like good medical care and good roads, good education costs a lot. Without a doubt, quality teaching is expensive. The draconian slashing of funding and targeting of teachers has made me sad. Do we not want a top-notch technical college system? One of the best higher education systems? The best-prepared high school graduates? Did the governor not get just about everything he wanted when he was offered concessions from the unions? And why have teachers been made scapegoats for everything that is perceived to be wrong with Wisconsin? Where is this coming from? It needs to go away.
I served with Tom Barrett in the state Senate. He was well liked by Republicans and Democrats. He is smart and decent. He would be a healer and consensus builder. I have met with Lori Compas and have the same impression of her. I believe we must move away from the narrow emotional issues that divide us and have little to do with good government. We need people in Madison who will restore our faith and confidence — people who will govern with even-handedness and an open mind. I believe Tom Barrett and Lori Compass are such people. They will receive my vote, and, I hope, yours.
Gary Olson, also a Compas Republican, has been very vocal about how extreme the Wisconsin Republican Party has become since Scott Walker and the Fitzgerald Brothers came to power on his blog
Republicans for a Higher Road. Just by reading a few of Olson's posts, you would think that Olson is a liberal. That's not the case, during the press conference announcing that enough signatures had been collected to recall Fitzgerald,
Olson talked about how had self-identified as a Republican his entire life, but had come to disdain the far-right element that has become influential within the Republican Party.
Lori Compas's campaign has produced two radio ads highlighting Republicans who support Compas, one featuring Barbara Lorman, and one featuring Gary Olson.
Since Scott Walker was elected Governor of Wisconsin in 2010, Scott Fitzgerald has turned many Republicans in his own district against him because of his actions and attitude as the leader of the Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate. If Lori Compas defeats Scott Fitzgerald on June 5, Compas Republicans like Barbara Lorman and Gary Olson will have played a key part in defeating Scott Fitzgerald.
9:26 AM PT: Lori Compas herself commented about my diary on her campaign's Facebook page: "The Rise of the Compas Republican." I like that.