This would be awesome: Former Milwaukee Police Captain Earnell Lucas will challenge notorious Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke in next year's Democratic primary, according to a consultant working for Lucas. Clarke, a vociferous Trump supporter and incendiary critic of the Black Lives Matter movement, is the living embodiment of the term "Democrat-in-name-only.” Those who know him from the headlines he makes are often shocked to learn he isn't a Republican.
But that makes his re-election prospects worse than dicey: A PPP poll conducted earlier this year found that just 13 percent of Democratic voters in Milwaukee County said they'd support Clarke, while 82 preferred "someone else." And now it looks like those folks will indeed have a someone else to vote for. Lucas is a 25-year police veteran and has worked for the last 15 years in Major League Baseball, currently serving as the league's vice president for security—a formidable-sounding resume.
In fact, Lucas could prove to be such a tough opponent that Clarke, who hasn't actually confirmed whether he'll seek a fifth term, might choose not to run altogether. Clarke has refused to rule out a bid against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, which would require him to switch parties (not exactly a tough mental leap), though he probably wouldn't be the favorite of DC Republicans. And it's not like he could rely on the man in the White House for much help: As others have noted, Trump is always much more interested in pushing his enemies than helping his allies. So it really could be the end of the line for Clarke—and good riddance.