But they’ve both been in the race for months now (actually well over a year) and the reporters aren’t exactly out in droves. The few stories I’ve seen tend to focus on the endorsement and money game. It seems that law enforcement is breaking for Schimel and the political establishment for Krueger, although each can also claim some crossover. Their cash on hand is pretty even. But so what? Isn’t it more important what they intend to do with the office? After all, this is a great county to live in and we’re right next to a county that’s not a great place to live in. The top prosecutor helps shape a societal climate. We need someone who will keep aggressively holding the line.So let's look at the horse race, shall we?
As Jessica noted, the money is about even, and the endorsements (almost never a decisive factor) break down as the local law enforcement for Brad Schimel and the Republican Party endorsements are going for Dennis Krueger.
However, Dennis Krueger picked up an important endorsement Friday from Pro Life Wisconsin.
“Your commitment to protect each and every innocent human being coupled with your solid track record of assisting and protecting young mothers and their preborn babies make you the clear choice for pro-life voters in the upcoming primary election,” said Pro Life Wisconsin Victory Fund PAC President Mary Matuska.The press release referenced the famous "cocaine mom" case:
In the late ‘90s, when the infamous ‘Cocaine Mom’ decided her addiction was more important to her than her unborn child, Dennis Krueger devised a legal strategy to save the baby; one that had never been tried before here in Wisconsin and one that most insiders said would not work.From a campaign tactical point of view, the endorsement gives Krueger access to a key constituency in the Republican primary. Neither candidate received the endorsement of Wisconsin Right to Life, so Krueger will be the only one with direct access to a group of self-identified pro-life voters.
By winning the case, Krueger kept that mother from doing more harm to her baby and blazed the way for future prosecutors who face similar cases.
“We held her in custody on cash bail until she agreed to sign herself into an inpatient treatment facility as a condition of her release on bond. She could decide to stay in jail or enter an inpatient treatment program,” Krueger said. “Either way, she could not use while she was pregnant. If she left the treatment facility she would be violating her release conditions and would have been returned to jail.”
