Once upon a time in Kenosha County, the union and other special interest endorsements mattered. The UAW was once very powerful and had great influence. Not anymore.
When I ran for Alderman in 2012, I got all of the local endorsements – the Police Union, the Fire Union, the AFL-CIO, etc. I won. In 2014, I got all of the same endorsements. I Lost. In my 2016 “rematch,” all of those endorsements went to my opponent. I beat him hugely. Was it the endorsements that mattered? Clearly not. It came down to the issues and the door-knocking.
Let’s take a more recent election to analyze – Kenosha County District Attorney’s Race. Here were the endorsements:
Carli McNeill (D)
Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Democratic Party of Kenosha County
Kenosha County Deputy Sheriff’s Association
Kenosha Professional Firefighters, Local 414
Kenosha Professional Police Association Board
Kenosha AFL-CIO
UAW SE WI CAP Council
Mayor David Bogdala (R)
Former Congressman Peter Barca (D)
State Representative Tip McGuire (D)
Twin Lake Police Chief Katie Hall
Many High-Ranking Police Officer With KPD
Some Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputies
“All Current Employees of the District Attorney’s Office”
Many others
Xavier Solis (R)
[None]
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Notably missing from the above list? Kenosha County Sheriff David Zoerner and Kenosha Chief of Police Patrick Patton. Seemingly the two didn’t think it was appropriate to “pick a side.”
Solis handedly defeated McNeill, even with all of her endorsements. Now, how does McNeill return the support? She leaves town. Apparently her “commitment to Kenosha County” ended when it elected someone else.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Association called for a full vote of its membership. The majority of deputies elected not to endorse either candidate. Still, the board of the union endorsed McNeill, defying the membership.
McNeill indicated many times throughout the election that “All Current Employees of the District Attorney’s Office” endorsed her. KCE knows this to be untrue. It was a lie. How did that look, anyway? Did she walk around the office to her subordinates while all on the clock and ask each employee, one by one, “Hey! Do you endorse me?” What the hell are they supposed to say to their boss? “No?” That wasn’t an ethical move on McNeill’s part. But enough about her. She abandoned Kenosha County and is no longer relevant, she’s now working for a former defense attorney turned District Attorney – ya know, the type of lawyer she said was not qualified to run such an office? The irony is thick. Bye Felicia!
The Kenosha County voters are shifting from purple to red. Red people don’t usually like being told who to vote for. I know I don’t. The power the unions once wielded is D.O.A. – Dead on Arrival. That’s a good thing. This means that the better candidate will win, regardless of who endorses them. When special interests lose, we win.
20 Responses
Kenosha County Sheriff David Zoerner and Kenosha Chief of Police Patrick Patton – good on you for keeping your positions apolitical. Just like every public (including teachers) figure should be.
Absolutely
Mayor David Bogdala (D)** fixed it!
F him
I hear Carli and Gravely have been MIA at the office since the election.
Are they still collecting a paycheck at taxpayer expense for not showing up and doing any work?
Someone should look into this.
Don’t know. Just asking.
Are they both using up built up vacation time ?
Is it use it or lose it ?
Or are they allowed to cash it in ?
They’re allowed to cash it in.
Good points — union endorsements aren’t what they used to be, that’s for sure.
As for McNeill’s commitment to Kenosha County, doubtful Solis would have kept her so she did the right thing to move on.
Corruption on display. Back the badge? Nope. Back the individual.
Pay back time
She can’t face it she lost.. she thought a lot of people were going to vote for her but doesn’t work like that. She tried to talk her smack about xavier and it didn’t work.
Two points on the Kenosha County Sheriff Association. 1- Xavior didn’t come speak and seek the endorsement (he probably would have got it). 2. The members still do not know the vote total of yays/ nays vs abstain votes. It was all secrets as usual.
Like in communism
No one us keeping secrets “Bruce” just need to ask. 42 yes 17 no abstains don’t count at all per Robert’s Rules of Order. She she “won” the endorsement of the association as well as the board.
No one us keeping secrets “Bruce” just need to ask. 42 yes 17 no and the abstains (43) don’t count at all per Robert’s Rules of Order. She she “won” the endorsement of the association as well as the board.
Also of importance is to note that no matter who won, we are all on the same team and are all adults and will continue to work to our best abilities to serve the citizens of Kenosha County. Because that is what we do.
Tim, not Carli. She left town.
Tim. So “abstain” is a “neither” vote. They didn’t want to endorse and you endorsed. You went again your members’ wishes. Your girl is now leaving town. The weak on crime prosecutor is abandoning your community because she lost. Still stand behind her?
Again per Robert’s Rules of Order abstaining votes don’t count as a yes or a no they do not count at all. If they did not want to endorse all they had to do is vote no. Pretty easy. And for what it is worth, I had nothing to do with the voting, I was not involved in the polling of the members. I was just given the numbers. As stated before while yes I did feel that Carli would have done a good job, that does not mean I will not support Solis now that he has the job. My thoughts or feelings on the matter have nothing to do with it the people have spoken and that is what is great about this country the people get what they want. I have no ill will or feelings about the results whatsoever. I look forward to seeing everyone move forward from this and to see the residents of our great community continue to be protected and cared for as they have in the past. Nothing changes in that sense. And Kevin even if we don’t 100% see Kenosha eye to eye on everything we both love out community and our country so that is good enough for me. Have a good day my friend and God bless
We can all agree with that 🙂 Have a great day
UAW Local 72, HahHah, just head over to their website (http://www.uawlocal72.org/) to see what they offer on information to their active and retiree members.
They’re a ‘has been’ organization set on self enrichment, just like the international. Their Dictator has always jockeyed for a Power Position so he can be in control and Lapdog JD as being the perfect ‘Yes Man’ that complies with the Power Man’s demands. The legacy of this Dictator’s leadership has chased his past employer out of town, and his position as board member on two different failed financial institutions are all but forgotten names. At best, they are Legends in their own Minds.