Uppity Wisconsin

Milwaukee County Exec Scott Walker is gearing up to run for governor again, and Republican radio talker Mark Belling really likes Walker's chances. Says Belling:

Walker’s fiscal responsibility message will be especially powerful in 2010 if, as expected, the Democrats deal with a massive state budget deficit by passing monster tax hikes. He is a political nightmare for the Democrats.

That insight sounded somewhat familiar, so I did a little digging in the old Xoff Files and found Belling in 2005 saying:

The voters want tax relief in Wisconsin and they will keep voting against those politicians that won't give it to them. Walker has the all-time winning Wisconsin issue in the tax freeze and his ability to produce four consecutive budgets with absolutely no increase in the property tax levy. The tone-deaf crowd in the Republican Party that is backing candidate Mark Green is oblivious to the appeal of Walker's message and will wake up next September in shock when Walker crushes Green in the GOP primary. Even after that result, the Madison crowd and the state media will argue that Walker's win is a "Republican thing." Walker will then beat Doyle. Will they hear us THEN?"

That from the same guy who predicted Russ Darrow would be the GOP nominee for US Senate.

Some more of what passes for analysis (I use the term loosely) from Belling in 2008:

Walker’s Milwaukee popularity gives him a real chance of actually winning the county outright. He has benefited from years of coverage in the Milwaukee media that has made him extremely popular in conservative suburban counties. A lot of voters in Washington, Racine, Ozaukee and Waukesha counties have been chomping at the bit in anticipation of getting a chance to vote for the one politician who walks the no-tax walk.

Ah, yes, the big media market and talk radio will propel Walker to victory. The last person we heard that about was a candidate for attorney general in 2006. Guy named Paul Bucher. Anyone know what happened to him?

Walker may, in fact, become the Republican nominee in 2010, as Bruce Murphy notes, simply because of a dearth of other candidates. (There is Atty. Gen. J.B. Van Hollen, but he's have to give up his job to run and it may be a little early for that.

Getting the nomination is one thing, of course, and being elected governor is quite another thing, as Dan Cody notes.

Belling, as we know, is a betting man, and he says:

The Scott Walker governor campaign is on. Don’t bet against it.

I say, if you can get some of that action, take it.