An interesting development in the governor’s race was discussed in the Capital Times on Oct. 2. Just who is Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson supporting for governor?Although Tommy has given a perfunctory endorsement to his Republican gubernatorial successor Scott McCallum, his brother, Libertarian candidate for governor Ed Thompson, has reported that Tommy has contributed money to his campaign and has told him that he intends to vote for him.
This does seem most credible, as the Capital Times noted that Tommy tried to dump then Lieutenant Governor McCallum from the GOP ticket in 1998 in order to replace him with a competent running mate: “Bill McCoshen, a Thompson cabinet member and confidant with superior political and people skills.”
Adding credence to Libertarian Ed Thompson’s assertion that his brother Tommy is indeed going to vote for him, and thus repudiating his successor, was the refusal of Tony Jewell, a spokesperson for Tommy Thompson, to tell a reporter for whom his boss was going to vote.
It should be obvious that Governor Tommy Thompson lacks confidence in Scott McCallum’s ability to govern Wisconsin.
This is understandable in light of McCallum’s blunders respecting shared revenues with municipalities and his proven fiscal incompetence with respect to his use of the tobacco settlement money.
While it is understandable for Tommy to vote for his brother Ed, I hope most Wisconsin voters will vote for a real change on behalf of competence and fiscal responsibility on Nov. 5 by casting their vote for the Democratic candidate for governor, Jim Doyle, presently attorney general of the state of Wisconsin.
-Forrest Webber
Alderman
District 4