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Yeah, particularly in Iowa.

The presidential nominating process is a lot like the US Open tennis tournament. There is a final (the Republican v. Obama), a semifinal (the top conservative against the top moderate for the GOP nomination) and a quarter final (the conservatives against each other and the moderates competing together for the right to enter the semis).

Mitt Romney and Donald Trump are centrists. Businessmen, economic growth free market types who will vie with each other for the moderate nomination. In 2008, Romney fought and lost to Huckabee for the conservative nod to oppose McCain. But, because of his health care position, he now has to fight it out on the moderate court.

Mike Huckabee’s withdrawal opens the way on the right court for Gingrich, Bachmann, and Daniels. Had Mike run, he would have easily carried the day and faced Romney/Trump for the nomination. But, with Mike out, it’s an open field.

Bachmann has the most to gain from Huckabee’s withdrawal. Polling shows that the Tea Party types and the evangelicals are more or less the same people. With Mike out, Michele has a clear shot at their support (once they get over Herman Cain and Ron Paul, neither of whom can win — and Paul shouldn’t win). As the odd-woman-out dissenting from the Boehner deals with Obama, holding out for fiscal conservatism and tough Republican bargaining, she can pick up a lot of ground in a hurry.

Gingrich’s announcement puts the onus on him to dispel the negatives that dog his campaign. All agree that he would be the best opponent to Obama in a debate and that he is the brightest, best candidate would have. But many are scared off because of the negatives. He has six months to show them that they are wrong.

And then there is Mitch Daniels, potentially, the conservative establishment’s answer to Romney. Despite an absence of charisma, his extraordinary record as governor puts him right in the thick of the hunt for the nomination. He, along with his supporters (Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Chris Christie of New Jersey, and John Kasich of Ohio), have walked the walk not just talked the talk. His candidacy is a most attractive one.

And, if Sarah Palin decides to come in now, I would say the battle for the social conservatives will really heat up.

Newt Gingrich with his personal baggage should be used as a foil against Obama but he is unelectable – too old and too damaged.

Mitt Romney will have to compete in Iowa and will probably take a loss there even with Huckabee not in the race. Romney will be vulnerable in South Carolina too –then on to Florida.

Exit question: Will Mitch Daniels with Scott Walker, John Kasich and Chris Christie endorsing him be able to beat Michele Bachmann in Iowa?

So, if you live in Wisconsin vote and if you do NOT, then go here and contribute a few bucks.

“Citizens for Impartial Justice” was formed to insure that the Wisconsin Supreme Court remains impartial and does not become an activist court. Our independent PAC is committed to support the voters in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of David Prosser, and returning him to the Court for another 10 years. He has established a record of strict construction and adherence to well developed precedent. Justice Prosser does not work to expand the court’s role in our lives; he rejects extreme positions.

Prosser’s fair and impartial service on the Wisconsin Supreme Court over the past 12 years is a credit to Wisconsin’s long tradition of scholarly and well balanced development of the law. He works to instill collegiality on a Court in the face of an aggressive and manipulative bloc of Justices intent on rendering decisions based on personality and power aggrandizement. He deserves reelection!

His record is impressive:
- 12 years –Supreme Court appointed in 1998 by Governor Tommy Thompson
- 2 years Wisconsin tax Appeals Commission
- 18 Years Wisconsin State Assembly; 2 years as Speaker.
- Outagamie County District Attorney
- United States Department of Justice Attorney
- Staff of the Honorable Harold Froehlich during the Nixon Impeachment

A vote for Prosser is a vote for fair and impartial justice with no gimmicks
and no personal agenda.

Mickey Kaus gives the run down as to what is at stake in the April 5 election.

In a counter-intuitive way, the RIGHT should hope for a Democratic victory and an overturning of the Wisconsin labor reforms?

Walker’s (and Kasich’s and Daniels’) anti-union reforms are having an effect nationwide, even in states where unions are strong. In Los Angeles, for example, a coalition of unions just agreed to non-trivial increases in health and pension contributions for existing workers that will save $400 million. One reason they agreed was undoubtedly the fear that anti-union fever might spread even to California. If Walker gets beaten, public employee unions all over the country will stop being so amenable. (Maybe that will be good for Republicans, in a dialectical way,  because government will become more unaffordable and the “blue state model” will move closer to total bankruptcy. The contradictions will be heightened, if you will. But it will be bad for anyone who wants a working government and lower taxes.)

And, the Democrats politicizing the Wisconsin Supreme Court might actually help Scott Walker as well – giving Walker a political foil.

We will see.

Senator Taylor really should go back to Wisconsin and do the job Wisconsin voters elected her to do.

Good grief.

There are more of her rants here.