Riche:

I think you and I agree on more than we disagree. Also, as for D1 republicans, I actually meant presidential politics. I believe Neumann ran for senate and lost-which is one reason he is gone.

If D1 dems continue to put forth candidates like Thomas and Krupp, they are in trouble. With this being true, I do not believe Stanly Milams belief that had Krupp had more funding she would have been electable. The democrats could have made a "respectable showing" with a candidate that represents the political ideology of Wisconsin first congressional district. They chose someone who spoke like Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid.

TCB. I have met Jeff Thomas and talked with Jeff Thomas. Yes he was a one issue candidate and totally unelectable. However, speaking with him in no way revealed a man with a history as far left at Obama. Some of Thomas's kindest words were of his respect for Paul Ryan. He never spewed the leftist class warfare stuff promoted by the Obama and Krupp campaigns. Other than that I agree with everything you said. As to your other question - the last Republican elected prior to Ryan was Mark Neumann. He was a far right idealogue not in the same league as Paul Ryan. We are well rid of Neumann. My main point remains that Stan Milam turned things upside down. Obama did not overcome things in the 1st District. Paul Ryan overcomes what should have been a natural disadvantage in 2008.

Riche95:

D1 consistently votes the Democrat candidate in Presidential elections-irrespective of candidate or how left that candidate may lean. Tell me Riche95, who was the last republican to win in WI congressional 1st district?

Obama is not way left of Thomas. Thomas is a single issue "heath care for all candidate." No one knows what if any position he had on economics or immigration or tax policy or fiscal policy or defense or free trade or any other of host of issues that our elected officials confront while in congress.

Dr Thomas is a skilled surgeon, a community leader, devoted to children and Janesvile schools, but wholly un-electable in the broadest sense. He ran his compaigns on an overly simplistic platitude and he voters of D1 saw through him. As a result he was soundly beaten every time. Marge Krupp won 35% of the vote-in a year when congressional approval ratings are 10% and GWB approval ratings are 30% and she STILL had no chance!

Krupp's website is replete with platitudes and democratic talking points. Krupp is arguably a nice person but failed to demonstrate any personal political ideology-this contributed to her landslide defeat. Local dems who continue to run elections like Thomas and Krupp will continue to be beaten by wide margins.

http://kruppforcongress.org/issues.asp

if PAUL RYAN were to accept a Cabinet appointment in the Obama Administration then Gov. Doyle would appoint the new congressperson any Idea's on what democrat that would be?

TCB - Obama is way to the left of Jeff Thomas and he won the district. Your logic elludes me.

Stan:

Margie Krupp or Jeff Thomas are candidates are much farther left of the majority of D1 constituents-this is the reason why these type of candidates are beaten by 30%.

George Soros himselft could have cut a blank check to Krupp and the outcome would have been the same.

Local politics is just that---local. Krupp and Thomas and others who have opposed Ryan look to government solutions for every ill society has. Complaints of income inequality are nothing new and simplistic complaints do not represent a political ideology. For the left to win in District 1, they need to espouse an ideology more aligned with the majority of constituents. Funding is not the issue-the issue is political ideology and until D1 hard-core dems learn this political lesson the results will be the same.

The first Congressional District is an oddball. There is no dominant municipality and no media that encompass the entire district. Rock County is organized effectively by the Democratic Party and it's allies in organized labor. There is little cohesion or organization by the Republican Party. The same is probably true of the other counties. The district is probably blessed not to have an effective regional party organization. That allows a campaign to center on views and qualifications. Stan - I respectfully think your summation is turned upside down. The election of Ryan shows that, in a district like ours' a local candicate of one party can overcome the money and organizational advantage, nationally, of the other party. Paul Ryan probably would not survice in a British type parliamentary system.