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Fri Nov 20 23:04:11 PST 2009

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UPDATE: Lawton No Longer in Race for Governor

UPDATED Tuesday, November 17, 2009 --- 8:10 a.m. GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- A Green Bay talk-show host has marked his return from a two-week suspension with an apology to the state's lieutenant governor. Jerry Bader was back on the air Monday at WTAQ. He took responsibility for his previous actions and repeated his earlier apology to Barbara Lawton. Bader had been suspended for making salacious comments about Lawton after she dropped out of the governor's race last month citing "very personal reasons." Bader speculated on the reason she dropped out. He later retracted his comments. Lawton wanted the station to take stronger action than a suspension. But WTAQ general manager Duke Wright says he heard from a number of listeners whose message was, "Everyone makes mistakes." Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. _______________________________________ UPDATED Monday, November 16, 2009 --- 9:00 a.m. GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- A Green Bay conservative talk show host suspended for two weeks for salacious comments about the state's lieutenant governor is back on the air. Jerry Bader returned to WTAQ Monday. Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton suddenly dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination for governor Oct. 26, citing "very personal reasons." Bader speculated on the reason Lawton dropped out and later retracted his comments. Lawton wanted the station to take stronger action than a suspension. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. _______________________________________ UPDATED Sunday, November 8, 2009 --- 9:00 a.m. GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The general manager of a Green Bay radio station says no decision has been made about the future of a conservative talk-show host who's been suspended for two weeks. Jerry Bader has been suspended through Nov. 16. The move followed salacious comments he made speculating why Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton suddenly dropped out of the governor's race. Lawton had called on the station to take stronger action, saying Green Bay's image was damaged by Bader's program. But Bader fans have been vocal about expressing their support. WTAQ general manager Duke Wright says since Bader has been out, he's been hearing from fans who want Bader back. Lawton dropped out of the race Oct. 26, citing "very personal reasons." Information from: Green Bay Press-Gazette http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. _______________________________________ UPDATED Thursday, October 29, 2009 --- 10:33 a.m. MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Green Bay radio talk show host Jerry Bader has been suspended for two weeks over comments he made about Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton. WTAQ announced Thursday that Bader had been suspended over a story posted on the radio's Web site postulating on why Lawton had dropped out of the governor's race on Monday. He later retracted the comments. The station says a decision on his future will be made after his two-week suspension. Lawton said Thursday she has never received a proper apology from the station. She called his suspension a "first step" but it's up to the station and the community to determine whether it's beneficial to have him remain on the air. Lawton said Monday she dropped out of the race due to "very personal reasons." Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. _______________________________________ UPDATED Tuesday, October 27, 2009 --- 10:45 a.m. MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton broke her silence Tuesday about why she abruptly dropped out of the governor's race, denying rumors that she had been pressured by the White House to leave or that she was ill. Lawton, in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, reiterated that her decision to leave was a personal one reached with her husband, two adult children and other family members. "It's a very personal decision," she said in the phone interview. "I actually don't want to comment further on it. ... I'm proud of what we did and I'm disappointed to end it and I'm excited about life ahead." Lawton ruled out a run for lieutenant governor, a post she's held since 2002, and said a future campaign was "highly unlikely." Lawton did address rumors that have run rampant since her three paragraph e-mail announcing her departure from the race was sent to supporters and posted on her campaign Web site Monday morning. She did not speak publicly all day Monday, her Capitol office was closed, and her campaign staff did not return phone calls. That silence, and the unexpectedness of the decision, led to widespread rumors about why Lawton would bail on the race after she was so anxious to enter it. She's talked about running for governor for years and announced her candidacy on the same day in August that Gov. Jim Doyle, also a Democrat, announced he would not seek a third term. Lawton said she had not spoken with anyone in the White House or in Congress about leaving the race. "The White House did not contact me," she said. Because her e-mail on Monday said she was leaving due to "very personal reasons," many wondered if she were sick. "I am in good health," Lawton said Tuesday. Lawton also denied that she got out due to poor fundraising, saying "things were going well." When asked how much money she had raised in the 10 weeks of her campaign, Lawton said she did not have the figures and they didn't matter now that she had dropped out. Lawton, 58, also addressed rumors that her decision to drop out was due to trouble with her marriage. "Those are the grossest rumors," she said. "I was deeply offended. We are about to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. We have a wonderful family who are very much a part of the life decisions. It was an outrageous, crude extraordinary rumor." Lawton said she understands that people struggle with trying to comprehend what she means by it being a "personal decision." "A decision to run for office is a very personal decision and a family decision," she said. Because it is such a personal decision, Lawton said she has not encouraged any other Democrats to get into the race and does not intend to lobby anyone to do it. Lawton's departure from the race leaves the Democrats with no major announced candidate. U.S. Rep. Ron Kind bowed out in September and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is still deciding. Pressure on Barrett to get in is growing. Barrett on Monday said he expected to make a decision soon and that Lawton's departure points to the need for a candidate to emerge quickly. He also did not deny reports that he had been contacted by officials with the White House about running. The governor's race is wide open next year for the first time in 28 years and despite Lawton's departure, Democratic Party leaders have said they expect there to be many candidates. A pair of Republicans -- Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann -- have been running for months. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. ________________________________________________________ UPDATED Tuesday, October 27, 2009 --- 9:15 a.m. MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton says she was not influenced by the White House to exit the Wisconsin governor's race and that other rumors about her abrupt departure are untrue. Lawton told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday that she dropped out of the race on Monday after speaking with her husband and two adult children. She says she is in good health and that she was not lobbied by the White House, Gov. Jim Doyle or any other potential candidates to drop out. She also denied that her fundraising was lagging. Lawton says she does not want to comment further on why she decided to drop out. She says she will not run for lieutenant governor again. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. ________________________________________________________ UPDATE Posted Monday, October 26, 2009 -- 5:05pm By Zac Schultz Madison: The news that Barbara Lawton was dropping out of the race for Governor was certainly a shock to most people at the Capitol Monday. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) was in the middle of a press conference when he was handed a note, telling him Barbara Lawton was dropping out of the race. "I'm as surprised as probably anybody in this room, that she made that announcement." That was the common reaction throughout the Capitol. Like most people, Sheridan is waiting for Tom Barrett to get in the race. "I would love to see him as a candidate for Governor. I think he's a great leader and could really do a fine job in this state." Lawton's Capitol office was closed and locked Monday, with no further information of what prompted this decision. "Perhaps she saw the writing on the wall," says Mark Jefferson, the Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. "It's possible she saw the resources and all the help that would be directed towards a Tom Barrett and she got concerned." Jefferson thinks it's more likely Lawton was pushed out by an Obama White House worried about running the liberal Lawton against a strong Republican candidate. "I think what we're seeing here is Governor Doyle and the White House trying to determine who the next nominee for the Democrats will be. This appears to be an attempt to clear the field for Tom Barrett." ________________________________________________________ UPDATED Monday, October 26, 2009 -- 4:30 p.m. By NBC15's Dana Brueck: The only Democrat in the race for governor quietly makes a major announcement Monday. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton is bowing out of the race for Wisconsin governor. The Lieutenant Governor announced she's no longer running to replace Governor Jim Doyle. In an e-mail to supporters, she cited "very personal reasons" for dropping out. Wisconsin's governor - and a possible candidate to replace him - say they're surprised. Two months ago, Governor Jim Doyle surprised some by saying he would stick to two terms in office. "I have decided I will not run for a 3rd term as governor," he said in August. Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton indicated she would run to replace Doyle. Now, a surprise announcement from her campaign, coming by e-mail, saying she's dropping out for "very personal reasons." "I guess, like a lot of people, I was surprised," Doyle says, "I certainly respect her decision ... I'm sure it was a very hard one. But I'm confident we're gonna have a very good candidate that'll emerge, or candidates, that'll emerge on the Democratic side." When asked if one of those candidates was in the room, Doyle said yes. "There's one in this room who I think would make a great candidate. But I'm not speaking for anyone in this room... and what they're going to decide to do." Doyle's comments came after a news conference about solar energy with Madison's Mayor and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. But Barrett stopped short of declaring his candidacy - yet. "I have not made a decision ... I'm getting very much closer to making a decision," Barrett says, "It takes a little time to sort things out, and I understand that time is of the essence now and the decision ... I will be making a decision in the near future." The former state lawmaker and congressman was elected to his current post for the first time in 2004. He has run for governor in the past, losing in the primary to Doyle in 2002... but says deciding if this is the right time to run is a personal decision. Barrett, who's still recovering from an August attack, has four children. "The question is whether we can do it and not wreak havoc on the family." Another question has to do with what Washington reportedly wants the mayor to do - The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the President wants Barrett to join the race. "I have not spoken to the president about it," Barrett says, "But I have talked to individuals who are associated with Washington D.C. in various capacities." ________________________________________________________ UPDATED Monday, October 26, 2009 --- 11:30 a.m. MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton is stopping her campaign for governor and will not run. Lawton released an e-mail to supporters on Monday saying that she will not run because of "very personal reasons." The message did not go into further detail and her campaign spokesman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Lawton was the most prominent Democrat to have declared their candidacy to replace incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle, who announced in August that he would not seek a third term. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has been considering running but has not yet announced. The most prominent Republican candidates include Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. ________________________________________________________ POSTED Monday, October 26, 2009 --- 11:00 a.m. A letter to her supporters from www.barbaralawton.com/ My good friends, You know better than any my confidence in Wisconsin people, and in our resilience in a time of crisis, and in our capacity to innovate new ways to shape a better future for our state. My deep commitment to our state is second only to my commitment to my family. For very personal reasons, I will not pursue the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010. I look forward to providing active leadership to shape smart decisions for Wisconsin in the fourteen months that remain in my term in office. I will stand with you, as always. With gratitude for your support, Barbara Lawton ________________________________________________________ Republican Response, POSTED Monday, October 26, 2009 --- 11:42 a.m. Priebus Statement on Announcement Lawton Will Not Run for Governor in 2010 MADISON - In response to an announcement that Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton will not run for Governor in 2010, Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus issued the following statement: "While it appears Governor Doyle and the White House were successful in derailing Lawton's candidacy, no doubt paving the way for their handpicked successor in the Democrats' primary, her announcement today takes nothing away from the positive message and innovative ideas of our Republican candidates for Governor. Our focus will continue to be getting Wisconsin workers back on the job and getting our economy back on track." ______________________________________________________________ POSTED Monday October 26, 2009 --- 12:15 p.m. Scott Walker Campaign Manager Keith Gilkes Statement on the 2010 Race for Governor WAUWATOSA - Keith Gilkes, Campaign Manger for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's campaign for governor, released the following statement: “The voters will have a clear choice next November. Our plan to fix the economy is to create jobs in Wisconsin through low taxes and less government – instead of the Doyle-Barrett plan of more spending, higher taxes, and overreaching government.” ______________________________________________________________ Statement Posted Monday, October 26, 2009 --- 10:48 p.m. State from Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin: “Barbara Lawton is one of the most effective Lt. Governors Wisconsin has ever seen. Women throughout our state have benefited from her economic development initiative, Wisconsin Women = Progress, which has spurred efforts to improve the economic status of women, not only in Wisconsin, but in other states and nations. She has promoted means to convert to a ‘green economy’ and brought the need for energy conservation and renewable fuels to schools, businesses, and homes. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of Wisconsin’s consumers, small business owners, veterans, and the Wisconsin National Guard. I know Barbara will serve out the remainder of her term with the same energy and passion she’s demonstrated throughout her life in public service. For all of her work on behalf of the people of Wisconsin, and her friendship for which I am most grateful, I admire and salute Barbara Lawton and wish her and her family well.”

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