Raising and spending more money than your opponent practically guarantees a legislative candidate a job in Wisconsin unless a special interest group with deep pockets takes an interest in you and your future, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis shows.
Legislative campaign finance reports show November 2008 ballot candidates who spent more than their opponents won 86 percent or 99 of the 115 seats up for election in the Assembly and Senate. Winners outspent losers $6.35 million to $4.24 million.

Money appeared to be the deciding factor in even more races – 105 of 115 or 91 percent – when the spending of well-heeled special interest electioneering groups like the Wisconsin Education Association Council, All Children Matter, Greater Wisconsin Committee, Coalition for America’s Families and others is taken into account. Outside groups raised and spent a record $7.1 million in 2008 legislative races and more than compensated for the financial disadvantage faced by several lesser-spending candidates.

The Democracy Campaign found that six of 16 winning candidates who spent less than their opponents had more outside money spent on their behalf than was spent by their opponents.

Here’s a look at those races:

Assembly District 43: Incumbent Democrat Kim Hixson, a freshman whose Republican challenger Debi Towns held this seat from 2002 until 2006, was only slightly outspent – $84,136 versus $88,124 by Towns. However, outside groups led by WEAC spent $550,600 to support Hixson, quadrupling the roughly $100,000 spent by All Children Matter and others to back Towns.

"He said he doesn’t have specific proposals to fix the economy but would like to see the government sort out the problems and come up with new ideas."
Hixson in a nut shell.

With everything happening to schools in the state budget...I wonder if WEAC still thinks getting Hixson re-elected was money well spent?

I wonder if all this campaign reform talk will affect WEAC or local UAWs, or if we only are going to attack "big business" and "big oil" and whoever else. Hey, guess what? Gas prices are plummeting, and all we can do is continue to complain.

As stated before, I play both sides of the aisle - in my job I have to. And there are good people on both sides. But I just saw a news report that WEAC spent $2.1 million on TELEVISION ALONE in five assembly races. $539,660 of that went against Towns in the 43rd district. Now, you don't see Republicans jumping up and down screaming "unfair!!" about that one do you? So let's be frank... big spending from outside sources helps both sides - period.

Here's an interesting question - in a time of budget crunches and teachers losing their jobs, how much better could that $2.1 million have been spent? Both sides need to figure this out, and pretty soon.

Congratulations, Kim!
I (sadly) no longer live in the district but still work hard to follow it's politics.
While working at the capital, I was able to work with Kim and his staff. I found him to have a great personality and be highly motivated.
Even though he was a freshman legislator in the minority party, he managed to author his own good legislation and help others find support for their legislation. That his legislation did not pass has more to do with the Assembly (Republican) leadership than it did with his motivation or skills as a legislator. He appeared to work hard for the people of the 43rd and seemed to have a high volume of contact with constituents. I have no doubt that he will continue to do so.
I have high hopes that with the great area legislators that we have, we can get some good legislation passed in the next two years.

Well said, uwphoops! Debi Towns is an educated, hard-working, moral & honest woman who has nothing but the district's best interest at heart. She was by far the better candidate, and should have been reelected. College students should be spending time studying the issues instead of voting "democratic" just to be voting democratic.

The two of you ("rims" and "totellthetruth")are perfect examples of how uninformed people can be. One of you sounds bitter and is hinting at conspiracy, and the other of you has obviously never paid attention to anything. And neither one of you can spell. Their names are "Hixson" and "Towns".

"totellthetruth" - College campuses, no matter where they are and what the election, will vote democratic... period. So, it was no shocker last night that Whitewater carried Hixson to victory, despite Towns winning the rural areas handily.

"rims" - You have obviously paid no attention to this district the past six years. Towns wrote 11 bills signed into law by a Democratic governor and was recognized by both sides as an up-and-coming leader. Hixson, in his first term, authored a grand total of three bills, none of which became law. He is recognized as nothing more than a place-holder, even by some members of his own party.

And, before you go and accuse me of playing sides... stop. I live in the district and work at the state, and have witnessed both of them at work regularly. I voted against Towns in 2002, but have voted for her since then, after seeing her abilities in Madison. Hixson's a smart guy, but he's got the personality and motivation of a telephone pole. No matter your politics, we deserve more than a placeholder.

Way to go, Kim!!!! I'm so excited about the win and hope that our legislators can do something to help the economy and education.

Congratulations....Kim!

I like the fact that you will attend to the issue of legislation prohibiting "negative" advertising....including those disgusting "Robo-Calls". (While you're at it....get rid of 'out-of-state' special interest group money financing local campaigns). The people of the 43rd....to their credit....were smart enough to look beyond the "gutter" and voted accordingly!

Now roll your sleeves up and get to work! All the best!

He is the better choice, D.Townes is nothing but a phony who watches out for big business and not the little guy. Her attitude is very arrogant. Maybe not so much after losing a second time to Mr.Hixon

Can you beleive that... Last night Hixon was losing, until they counted the votes from the Campus.. Mr. Hixon I hope you can represent these children well as they MOVE OUT OF STATE!