• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Baldwin cruises to sixth term

Tammy Baldwin cruised to an easy victory Tuesday. Voters in the 2nd Congressional District awarded her a sixth term in the House of Representatives.

Her opponent, Peter Theron of Madison, was not ruling out a second attempt to unseat Baldwin two years from now, an aide said.

Baldwin declined Janesville Gazette requests for an interview Tuesday night. She told the Capital Times she would propose an Executive Accountability Act that she said would restore the rule of law that she believes the Bush/Cheney administration has ignored repeatedly.

The act would call for:

-- An investigation that would hold the Bush administration accountable for any illegal acts.

-- Affirmation that it is the sole right of Congress to declare war.

-- Restoration of the writ of habeas corpus.

-- Ensuring that torture and rendition are prohibited under United States law.

-- Immediate closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

-- Immediate steps to protect all documents from the Bush/Cheney administration and publicly reaffirm that the Office of the Vice President is part of the executive branch.

-- A public review of potential abuses of the presidential pardon process.

-- Reform of the use of presidential signing statements.

Baldwin won as easily in Rock County as she did closer to her Madison home. She won more than 60 percent of the vote for the parts of Rock County in the 2nd District.

Theron aide Lucas Pillman said Theron learned from the contest that starting his campaign right after the September primaries was much too late.

“It takes longer to get your message out,” Pillman said.

Money also was an issue, Pillman said. “We were outspent 100 to one.”

Pillman was speaking from the Dane County Republicans’ gathering. He said speakers there focused on the future.

“We don’t believe the American people have given up on conservative values,” Pillman said. “Sometimes difficult economic times have repercussions.”

Pillman said Theron probably would decide sometime in the next few days about running in 2010.

Baldwin said she plans to work on a major health care initiative, something she said was thwarted by the Bush administration but now is possible with Barack Obama as president.

“Next year I believe we are going to have another debate in this nation on national health care to address the needs of those 46 million people who have no insurance and many more who are under-insured,” and those struggling to pay their premiums, Baldwin said in an audio recording she made for reporters.

Baldwin said lawmakers also need to address housing and energy crises.

“I’m deeply honored to get a chance to work on issues that confront this nation,” Baldwin said. ... “What Americans said at the polls today is they want problem solvers, not people pointing fingers.”