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* From our neighbor to the north…
In 2019, Kyle Woodman ran for an at-large seat on the Eau Claire City Council. In his campaign, he commented on the local issues that were likely to be decided by the 11-member body. He told VolumeOne, a Chippewa Valley culture magazine, his priority was building infrastructure that would facilitate economic growth.
He finished in 10th in a 10-person race.
This year, he’s running for City Council again, against incumbent Emily Anderson, but now he’s got a much different strategy. Woodman is largely ignoring local issues — unless agitating against a countywide mask mandate counts.
In the years since his last run, Woodman, a member of the Eau Claire County Republican Party Executive Committee, has built a decently sized social media following by arguing for conservative government and fighting the culture war.
He’s brought that strategy to his latest campaign; his stated plans if he wins are to protect individual freedoms, open the economy, oppose high taxes and defend law enforcement. The resulting rhetoric is mostly full-throated defenses of 2nd Amendment rights and the spread of Stop the Steal conspiracy theories. […]
Woodman is part of a mostly conservative group of candidates for local office across the state who are forgoing the hyper-local issues that city council and school boards largely deal with — instead aligning themselves with controversial culture war topics and making appearances with some of the state’s most divisive conservative personalities.
The Illinois House Democrats have been using national issues like Social Security and Medicare in state legislative races here for what seems like decades. You use what works in politics. It’s up to the news media and the other side to call it out or counter it. So, kudos to the Wisconsin Examiner for shining some light on this. It would be nice if that happened more in this state.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 9:41 am
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Republicans have been running on being pro-life for every single office, regardless of whether or not that office has any bearing the human right to elect to terminate a pregnancy.
In my experience efforts to point out that the issue is entirely unrelated to the office the person is running for results in a response that is so disconnected from reality that it is no wonder our entire species is under the threat of extinction from our own pollution and we’ve had nearly 40 years to affirmatively address it and have done next to nothing.
At least running on issues like Social Security and Medicare is a net positive for our communities. Running on reducing women and people of color to 2nd class citizens or chattel is bigotry that all too often goes unchallenged in municipal elections.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:13 am
I like your title Rich. Simple, funny and true.
Comment by Lurker Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:16 am
Great to have media looking at local races. Local counts. Wise of parties to pay attention to growing from the small fish.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:20 am
Yeah, well, that’s just like your opinion.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:21 am
===Woodman is part of a mostly conservative group of candidates for local office across the state who are forgoing the hyper-local issues that city council and school boards largely deal with — instead aligning themselves with controversial culture war topics and making appearances with some of the state’s most divisive conservative personalities.===
When your politics becomes a “cult of personality” dynamic that revolves around slights, actual or perceived, it’s this type of candidate that emerges from you side.
My favorite is when these “warriors” say it’s about policy, then spout off the slights and society ills that have zero to do with a given policy they are now against.
I’d say it’s a dumbing down to the fundamentals of governing and it’s mate, policy… but if they have no intention to promote either policy or governing, but want a vindication of victimhood… you get things that… aren’t bowling… and there are no rules.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:26 am
Since the media has been thinned considerably and the “other side” is still either focused on attacking Madigan or dodging CommandoIves/SingleMom blasts guess the Ds will keep doing what they have been doing.
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:33 am
@Candy - States have a large role to play in abortion restrictions (especially with the new makeup of the Supreme Court). Local zoning restrictions have also been used to restrict abortion access.
Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 10:40 am
===Local zoning restrictions have also been used to restrict abortion access.===
I am well aware of the use of zoning by bigots to enact policies based off of their bigotry.
Zoning does not address the right for a person to terminate a pregnancy, and there’s significant history of zoning ordinances designed to target providers being tossed in the court, but being a “pro-life” candidate for a municipal election is a gigantic red herring that allows people to run for office without ever actually demonstrating any concern or interest for actual civic affairs.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 11:38 am
Kyle, you’re out of your element
Comment by fs Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 11:50 am
Nice reference back to the drone video Rich.
The goal of an election is to win an election. If focusing on non-relevant issues wins elections, you focus on non-relevant issues.
It is that simple.
If you want to feel the ‘candidates you support’ are above such things, more power to you, but the goal of running in an election is to win the election.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 11:54 am
Re the title, it is I believe a double homage, to the Big Lebowski and to a totally amazing video circulating around the internet of Bryant Lake Bowling alley. Look it up.
Comment by Banish Misfortune Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 11:56 am
Always love a good Lebowski homage.
Comment by ;) Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 12:24 pm
As I struggle to sort through local candidates running on platforms like “collaboration” and “respect” a bit of value-signaling would actually be helpful. No, my local school board has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment, but I’d sure like to know which candidate thinks that’s the most important issue it faces.
Comment by Ben Tre Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 2:15 pm
The bowling drone video made me totally dizzy — in the best possible way, but glad I was sitting down at the time.
Comment by yinn Monday, Mar 15, 21 @ 2:15 pm