Time to make my annual predictions. Next year will be an interesting year for political junkies, but most of the general public will content themselves with watching TV about missing blonde teenage girls.
1. The Republicans will lose two seats in the Senate and a net gain of 1 in the House. Despite having control of the majority of governorships, the Supreme Court, the White House, and Congress, the press will continue to say the country is evenly divided.
2. Howard Dean will be dumped by the DNC by the end of the year.
3. Bryan Kennedy will not raise $1.5 million, or even $1 million, and will get less votes this time than last time against Congressman Sensenbrenner.
4. The Wisconsin House and Senate delegation will not change next year, except in Green Bay where State Representative John Gard (R-Peshtigo/Sun Prairie) will succeed Congressman Mark Green.
5. Tim Michels will run against Herb Kohl. He will not spend as much as Kohl. Kohl will win in a landslide.
6. Kohl's landslide will not help Governor Doyle, who loses to Congressman Mark Green.
7. Justin Sowa will not get the necessary signatures to run in the Democrat primary for Congress in Paul Ryan's district. Jeff Thomas will take up smoking before a Democrat beats Paul Ryan in that district again.
8. Reversing my early thoughts on this race, Peg Lautenschlager holds on to beat Kathleen Falk in the primary only to lose to Paul Bucher. Bucher will not run an ad with the police video of Lautenschlager's drunk driving arrest but everyone in Wisconsin will see it on the internet before the election is over. (I expect to be able to link to it in July.)
9. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will have to deal with two major internal scandals. One will be uncovered by WISN radio's Mark Belling, and the other by Michael Horne or Bruce Murphy.
10. The Republicans will retain control of the state legislature, but losing two state senate seats will rattle the nerves over in that caucus causing them to replace Dale Schultz as majority leader. Look for Mary Lazich to make a run for the position.
11. The Republicans will retain the State Senate seat currently held by the outgoing Cathy Stepp. The Republican State Senate will spend too much time, effort and money to hold onto the seat.
12. State Senator Tom Reynolds will not have to face a primary opponent and will win re-election handily.
13. Brett Favre will not retire. Steve Mariucci will be the head coach by the end of 2006.
14. Bill Parcells will not retire in Dallas. Jerry Jones will offer him whatever it takes to keep him.
15. The Milwaukee Brewers will be within five wins of last year's record – and miss the playoffs.
16. The Badgers football team will have a losing record next season.
17. Charlie Sykes will have a blogger on his regular Sunday morning panel show (not a special) other than Jessica McBride or Owen of Boots and Sabers at least once next year. (McBride will continue to be a regular panelist.)
18. Mark Belling will say something else that will cause WISN management to have to negotiate with protestors.
19. Nothing will come of the "scandals" surrounding Jim Doyle, other than a few editorials and a few campaign ads. There will be no prosecutions of anyone in the Doyle administration.
20. The ethanol mandate will pass and be signed by Governor Doyle.
21. TABOR will not get out of committee next year.
22. The people responsible for slashing the tires of Republican GOTV vans in 2004 will not see any jail time and will be working on Democrat political campaigns in 2006.
23. Milwaukee elections will be a disaster again.
24. There will be more murders in the City of Milwaukee in 2006 than in 2005.
25. Hollywood will make less money next year than this year.
26. Taxes will go up for most people in the state.
