Wisconsin’s largest daily newspaper has an interesting article in the paper today bemoaning the fact that more people aren’t getting involved in local politics. They find that nearly 60% of local races in Southeastern Wisconsin and 40% of those in Milwaukee County are uncontested for the spring election cycle which is an unfortunate fact, I agree.
It’s interesting though to see that as they publish their final candidate endorsements for this spring election, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has endorsed only one non-incumbent candidate in Milwaukee County.
So on one hand, they’re crying about not having anyone wanting to get involved in local politics and challenge incumbents, and on the other, they’re supporting the candidacy of those same incumbents.
And to be clear, there are a lot of incumbents in Milwaukee and the surounding areas that do deserve to be endorsed and re-elected. I support several of them myself.
But once again, the major media outlet in this state wants to have it both ways. Lamenting the fact that more people don’t challenge local politicians while winking and nodding at those same politicians at the same time.
In Milwaukee County for example, here are the list of candidates endorsed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
MILWAUKEE – COUNTY
Executive: Walker
Circuit Court: Dallet
Supervisor, 1st District: White
Supervisor, 4th District: Dimitrijevic
Supervisor, 9th District: Cesarz
Supervisor, 10th District: Coggs-Jones
Supervisor, 11th District: Borkowski
Supervisor, 14th District: Larson
Supervisor, 15th District: De Bruin
Supervisor, 16th District: Weishan
Supervisor, 17th District: Holt
MILWAUKEE – CITY
Mayor: Barrett
City Attorney: Langley
Council, 1st District: Hamilton
Council, 3rd District: Flaherty
Council, 4th District: Bauman
Council, 5th District: Pullen-O’Donnell
Council, 6th District: Coggs
Council, 7th District: Wade
Council, 9th District: Puente
Council, 10th District: Murphy
Council, 11th District: Dudzik
Council, 12th District: Witkowiak
Council, 13th District: Witkowski
Council, 14th District: Zielinski
Council, 15th District: Hines
The only challenger the JS endorsed out of that entire slate was Brenda K. Pullen-O’Donnell for the 5th district alderman in Milwaukee. 1 out of 26.
Again, I support the vast majority of those candidates listed above, but that isn’t the point. Getting involved in a local race for public office against a sitting incumbent is tough enough on its own, but having the states largest newspaper almost predetermined against your campaign only serves to keep qualified candidates for public office on the sidelines.
I live in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI with my wife Jen, our daughter Emerson, and sons Carter and Colton.
I have to wholeheartedly agree with you on this one….The J/S is a sub-par newspaper, and their analysis of politics, sports – you name it, stink. You get much more insight and better analysis from bloggers, talk show hosts, and other “alternative media” types than you would EVER get from the J/S.