Is Walworth County turning blue?
ELKHORN — Most Wisconsinites recall the evening of Dec. 3 as the night they gathered around a television and watched the Badgers win the first ever Big Ten championship football game.
It was a good night to be inside. The National Weather Service reports it was a dreary, damp evening in southern Wisconsin. But for about 200 Walworth County Democrats, independents and progressives, college football took a back seat to politics, and they ventured out to celebrate their recent growth in membership.
“We were shocked that so many people showed up on a nasty night to attend our meeting when the Badgers were playing a big game,” said Doug Harrod, chairman of the Democratic Party of Walworth County. “Yes, I recall the jokes about how we used to be able to hold our meetings in a phone booth, but that’s not the case, now, and we’re having the last laugh.”
Harrod was referring to a membership growth spurt for the Walworth County Democratic Party in the past year. In a county so overwhelmingly Republican that even Herb Kohl could not carry it the first time he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1988, Democrats are enjoying newfound energy.
The county party’s membership totaled 66 at the end of 2010. The Walworth County Democrats now claim more than 200 members, and more are joining daily, Harrod said.
The Dec. 3 meeting was held at Badger High School in Lake Geneva and featured keynote speaker John Nichols, the associate editor of The Capital Times in Madison.
“It should be noted that many of those attending that meeting are not dues-paying members of the county party,” Harrod said. “But we are seeing support from independents and progressives. John has a special appeal to all of us.”
The county party’s vice chairwoman, Ellen Holly, was featured in Wednesday’s edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A front-page photo showed Holly carrying a box of Gov. Scott Walker recall petitions into the Government Accountability Office headquarters in Madison.
“That photo tells our story,” Harrod said. “For decades, we’ve been a small but very energetic and hard-working group. Now, we’re a much larger energetic and hard-working group.”
While the growth has been rapid lately, things started to turn around for Walworth County Democrats as far back as 1970, state Sen. Tim Cullen said.
“It was in 1970 that we saw tremendous interest in the congressional Democratic primary between Doug La Follette and Les Aspin,” Cullen said. “Les won that following a recount and then went on to win the general election. It was the first time in a long time that Walworth County Democrats had something to cheer about.”
Aspin served as the 1st Congressional District representative from 1971 until 1993, when he resigned to become President Clinton’s defense secretary. Aspin died in 1995.
Cullen recalled working with the late Joe Golden, a veteran Walworth County Democrat.
“Joe was an example of how just a few people could make a big difference,” Cullen said. “He was always there volunteering to do whatever needed to be done—lit drops, signs, phone calls, working the fair and even running for office.”
Golden always had the best looking political booth at the Walworth County Fair, Cullen said.
“Joe put up a building every year,” Cullen said. “While others made due with a tent, Joe constructed this building of wood with a floor.
“He took it down every year, took the pieces home and brought it back to the fair the next year. While at the fair, Joe was there every day often listening to National Public Radio.”
Golden enlisted his wife, Rosemary, and son Joe Jr. to help.
“I was living in Minneapolis, but I would come down every year and help with the fair booth,” Joe Golden said. “Dad served as chairman and other functions for the party. It was always an important part of his life.”
Rosemary was the “silent” member of the family.
“I helped out wherever I was needed, but Joe was the one out front making the public aware of the party’s activities,” she said.
Jo Williams, the party secretary, said she’s glad to see membership increases but credits the veterans for keeping things going during down years. She agreed with Cullen that Aspin was a key factor in keeping Walworth County Democrats inspired during the 1970s and ’80s.
“There has always been a group in Whitewater,” Williams said. “They were not all members but always helped out. The 1970 election involving Les Aspin brought many of us together.”
Despite the effort of the loyal few, the Democratic Party in Walworth County languished until a year ago.
“There’s no question that Act 10, the law that destroys collective bargaining in Wisconsin, had a lot to do with our membership increases,” Harrod said. “Democrats, independents and progressives in Walworth County were also encouraged to get active over other issues including Voter ID and the mining bill.”
Cullen agreed that Act 10 inspired Democrats to unite, and it is a major factor in membership increases.
“Act 10 is at least 90 percent responsible for the membership increase in Walworth County,” Cullen said. “That county is now in play for Democratic candidates.”
Walworth County Republicans say their county party also is growing.
“I don’t have a comment on Democratic claims of growth,” said Kim Travis, chair of the Republican Party of Walworth County.
“We are seeing 100 members at regular meetings, and I’m getting five or six calls a day from people wanting to join and volunteer.”
Current membership for the Republican Party in Walworth County was not available.
Walworth County Democrats are revved up, Harrod said.
“We’re not slowing down, and we expect to keep growing,” he said.
“We’re having more meetings and greeting more new members.”
The Walworth County Democrats scheduled a Saturday night party for recall volunteers.
It’s a sure bet it wasn’t held in a phone booth.
Jan 24, 2012 at 11:19 a.m.
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Oh yeah moo shoo...what was Clinton..? From the bull moose party?
Jan 24, 2012 at 11 a.m.
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Colors n political parties ? If/Then - How about numbers and the bible ? 666 is who ?... Ronald Wilson Reagan..... Just saying.
Jan 23, 2012 at 11:16 p.m.
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If you repeat a lie often enough, you are a republican.
Jan 23, 2012 at 9:20 p.m.
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"Call me what you want but I know what I am."
YOU ARE CORRECT, SIR!
Jan 23, 2012 at 6:17 p.m.
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All I hear is how Democrats are Socialists, Fascists, Communists Thugs, and Hippies. Sorry to diasappoint but we're just regular folks that go to the same churches, schools and sporting events as you. We simply do not buy the Ayn Rand strain of selfishness that has overtaken the Republican party. I say that as a former Nixon republican. The GOP is not the party of reason, it has become the party of litmus tests, sworn oathes, and unthinking religous agendas. The important message of fiscal conservatism (which isn't the same a promoting a WalMart-ized economy) is trivialized, and lost in the stew of the social bigotry against gays, minorities, and any one else not viewed as mainstream God fearing patriots. Call me what you want but I know what I am.
Jan 23, 2012 at 6:06 p.m.
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thanks werpknarly...that sounds familiar...
Jan 23, 2012 at 6:03 p.m.
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Good Point Walter, perhaps Texas sans Austin might be a better home for those poor Wisconsinites grasping desperately for a simpler pre-Herbert Hoover world. And the spaces are so wide open Wislady won't be bothered by Drums. Can't say about the voices though.
Jan 23, 2012 at 5:04 p.m.
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BTW - "Fascism operated from a Social Darwinist view of human relations. Their aim was to promote superior individuals and weed out the weak.[5] In terms of economic practice, this meant promoting the interests of successful businessmen while destroying trade unions and other organizations of the working class."
Jan 23, 2012 at 5:01 p.m.
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Wait aré dems fascist or commuist ?, worst yet, maybe they are buddhist !
Jan 23, 2012 at 3:58 p.m.
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"What color is associated with fascism??"
This one right here.......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Eagle
Jan 23, 2012 at 3:53 p.m.
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Drtalk that is a good idea, maybe the color scheme should change. What color is associated with fascism??
Jan 23, 2012 at 3:41 p.m.
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I remember the good old days when the blue states used to be red and the red states used to be blue. That all changed with Tim Russert and his white board in 2000 election.
The old coloring scheme, with blue representing the Republican states and red representing the Democratic states, made sense. People associated the color red with communism, which closely resembles the Democrats viewpoint. This new color scheme makes no sense at all. Let's bring back the old one.
Jan 23, 2012 at 2:31 p.m.
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Walworth County has voted Republican for more than 7 decades and it's not about to change. To make up a story based on union thugs beating their drums is simply someones idea of a joke. Nice try though... I appreciate the humor.
Jan 23, 2012 at 2:03 p.m.
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I wonder why the left wing (Democrats) have become 'blue' while the right wing (Republicans) have become 'red'. My earphones are similar: left ear is blue, right ear is red. How did this happen?
Jan 23, 2012 at 1:21 p.m.
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Badger High can have political ralleys? Next they'll be having church services. Oh wait they already have. The Walworth County Dems might get so big Badger might have to expand their stadium-how awesome for the Badger taxpapers that will be. You want to see a school out of control take a look at Badger.
Jan 23, 2012 at 1:16 p.m.
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Some things are just more important than college football... fighting for your rights as a citizen should be high up on the list.
Jan 23, 2012 at 12:58 p.m.
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I just saw a cow flying by with a recall Walker sticker. He was towing a banner trying to sell a bridge and he had a little green Martian on his back. Guess where mouse had his tiny furry head sticking out from? When you believe all this (except for mouse)is when I'll believe Walworth county is turning blue. Who wrote this? Marty Bell.
Jan 23, 2012 at 9:51 a.m.
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Wislady again you can't admit that THE GOP ARE GOING DOWN...And Wisconsin has led the Opening of eyes to the actions of the GOP, AGAINST the people and in a VERY POSITIVE LIGHT being recognized NATION WIDE and the BLUE KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER NATION WIDE. The only whiners in the *House* are your Red Coats and Tea Baggers...Remember Paul Revere and his famous ride? Well Now it would say The Red coats are losing, the Red coats are losing, The TRUTH has been HEARD around the World and 99% have had enough of your Rightwingers (AKA REDCOATS) destruction,, and BTW Goodbye Scotty.
Jan 23, 2012 at 9:28 a.m.
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Liberals love Bill Maher, remember this?
Recalls Are for Cars, Not California Governors
Commentary
When did the Target parking lot replace the voting booth?
July 24, 2003|Bill Maher | Bill Maher is host of HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher."
Only in Wisconsin, though.
New rule: No do-overs. Once you elect an official, unless he runs off with public funds or gets caught with kiddie porn, you're stuck with him.
He's the governor, not some dude you married in Las Vegas.
What's going on here in California, if you're lucky enough to not have been following this, is that the economy turned, so we're getting rid of the governor. But what if we drive him out of office and the economy still doesn't get better? I guess we'll have to burn him. And if that doesn't work, we'll kill his dog.
http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jul/24/...
Jan 23, 2012 at 9:14 a.m.
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Fedup..... at least gump was man enough to stand for something.
Jan 23, 2012 at 8:58 a.m.
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wislady,
What's wrong with political freedom and a thriving live music scene?
Jan 23, 2012 at 8:57 a.m.
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motorman,
While MS remains, for the most part, trapped in the Jim Crow past, they are showing signs of progress. The same state that overwhelmingly voted to define marriage as 1 man, 1 woman, recently, with a similarly large number of votes, voted DOWN a measure to define a fertilized egg as a person. MS may be turning away from the conservative utopian dream that it once was.
Jan 23, 2012 at 8:54 a.m.
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Motorman
Endless protests and drums....NOT "quality of life".
Jan 23, 2012 at 12:19 a.m.
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FUTP and Wislady.
You know, there is a beautiful nirvana with low taxes segregated schools, lotsa guns, and christian taliban lawmakers just waiting for you ready made. its called Mississippi. Why don't you just move yourself and down to double wide heaven and let us live in a state with some quality of life.
Jan 22, 2012 at 10:06 p.m.
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What's turning blue....the faces of the liberals as they continue their tantrums.
Jan 22, 2012 at 9:51 p.m.
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Political activism in the state right now is at a high level, I imagine most local party groups are seeing an uptick in numbers. Why is this a surprise?
Jan 22, 2012 at 9:06 p.m.
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As Forest Gump would say ????? is as ????? does.
Jan 22, 2012 at 5:31 p.m.
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Interesting to read about this shift. Time will tell how this will play out during the elections this year.
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