Johnson is nonetheless encouraged by the number of votes Feingold received in previous wins versus the Republican vote total in the Sept. 14 primary — where Johnson faced only nominal opposition. At two Republican events over the weekend, he explained to supporters that since he got more than half a million votes in the primary, he would only need each of his voters to commit two friends to vote for him in the general election in order to eclipse the 900,000 or so votes Feingold got in his last midterm win.
At the 10th annual Fall Fest, a Republican fundraiser in GOP Rep. Paul Ryan’s district about an hour’s drive southwest of Milwaukee, Johnson got a standing ovation as he came to the microphone. Signs from Republican campaigns, including Bush/Cheney ’04 and McCain/Palin ’08, lined the walls of the large white tent that had been erected in an orchard. Wearing a red plaid shirt and jeans, Johnson depicted himself as “just a normal guy who’s every bit as concerned about the direction of this country as you are.”
“I’m 55 years old. I grew up in an America that valued hard work, that celebrated success. Remember that?” he said. “Now what do we do? Our society seems to demonize successful people, to try to tear everybody down to the same level.”
Members of the audience ate “pork stimulus sandwiches,” which were served next to paper pigs labeled “Russ” and “Tom” after the top two statewide Democratic candidates, and drank Miller Lite, Diet Coke and red wine in plastic cups.
Rose Parquette, a 58-year-old school administrator from Kenosha, said she voted for Johnson in the primary and would vote for him again in the general election. She was suspicious of Feingold.
“We don’t like politicians who say one thing in our district and go to Washington and do something else,” she said.
Yet Johnson has been accused of a similar kind of saying one thing and doing something else. In multiple ads and news stories, Democrats have accused the Republican of taking government loans or soliciting stimulus funds for organizations he was involved with even while publicly opposing the stimulus. The most recent charge was that Johnson made calls on behalf of the Grand Opera House in Oshkosh, checking on the availability of stimulus funds for its restoration. Parquette said she was aware of the accusations but that they wouldn’t change her vote.
“I think in so many cases those types of things have been blown out of proportion,” she said.
Johnson said four votes motivated him to oppose Feingold in his first race for elected office: the last two budget bills, the stimulus and health care.
“The straw that broke this camel’s back was when he was the deciding vote on the health care bill,” he told the booing crowd. “Let’s face it, that health care bill is designed to lead to a government-run takeover of our health care system, which is exactly what Russ Feingold wants.”
No Dancing in the End Zone
Johnson went to the Packers game on Sunday morning — they beat the Buffalo Bills, 34-7 — but he didn’t show for a debate that Feingold had agreed to in Eau Claire on Sunday night. Feingold used it as a rally instead, occasionally addressing a podium to his left labeled with Johnson’s name, and he didn’t shy away from his more controversial votes.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra and Rep. Joseph Crowley, vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, address a news conference immediately after the closed caucus meeting.
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