This is when most bloggers put out their endorsements, something from which I abstain for the most part. Still, some races are worth last-minute commentary.
Out of personal friendship I wish Mike Mathias well tomorrow in his race for Milwaukee School Board. While Mike and I rarely agree politically, Mike is a very thoughtful person who will represent the district in an honest and ethical manner. Mike is a good person committed to making the public schools work. If he wins, I predict his time in office will surprise friend and foe alike.
In Waukesha, I have no idea who is going to win their seats on the school board. I can also tell you that none of them deserve to win. Not one of the candidates asked for my vote, and I vote in every election. Not one e-mail, not one person knocking at my door, not one flier, not one mail piece, not one phone call. Tomorrow we'll have to listen to the usual whining about low turnout. If nobody asked for your vote, why should you be blamed for sitting at home?
In New Berlin, I'll make the prediction that the conservative slate will again win election to the school board. The only controversy which could have been affected by the school board was the decision to move the graduation ceremony from Elmbrook. (My own thoughts are here.) Given that the opposition would have made the same decision, and given the recent history of costly lawsuits in New Berlin, I suspect it won't be an issue.
I'm predicting Ted Wysocki will return as New Berlin's mayor. Just a hunch, based upon the turbulent political history of that city.
Jefferson Davis will not rise again, and Randy Newman will win re-election in Menomonee Falls despite the opposition of "short people."
I think Daniel Gabler will beat J.D. Watts for judge in Milwaukee. I think his ad campaign was simple, direct, and had a theme that appealed to taxpayers.
Ellen Brostrom should defeat Christopher Lipscomb, if only because of her connections. This incident, while amusing, shouldn't affect the outcome, but it certainly doesn't help Lipscomb, either. By the way, I find anonymous tips much more convincing when they're accompanied by large cash payments.
The West Bend Schools referendum will get clubbed like a baby seal. If the voters weren't inclined to vote for it when the times were good, they ain't gonna vote for it now.
Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson will win re-election. As somebody explained to me last year after the Gableman win, it took a "perfect storm" to defeat an incumbent supreme court justice, even one as weak as Louis Butler. Despite having (I think) a better candidate who ran a better campaign, the money was not there, the interest wasn't there, and (unfortunately) Abrahamson is an institution. Or she belongs in one. Either way, she wins tomorrow. Koschnick folks can take heart that I predicted the conservative candidate was going to lose in each of the last two supreme court races.
Finally, I have no idea who is going to win the state DPI race. Rose Fernandez was always a long-shot, but she's run a strong, principled race her campaign can be proud of. Her opponent, Tony Evers, generates all the enthusiasm of watching a snail race, except when he's breaking state law. If he loses tomorrow, watch how quickly his allies start complaining about how bad he was as a candidate.
