Ziegler update

I wanted to give an update on the pro-life issue with Judge Annette Ziegler's campaign for state supreme court. Campaign manager Mark Graul returned my call last week after the primary and I asked him about the Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund PAC endorsement which Ziegler did not receive. Graul said that the questionnaire was very similar to the questionnairre sent to legislative candidates, and because of the rules governing a candidate running for a judicial office Ziegler felt she could not answer the questions.

I asked Graul about his history with Congressman Mark Green's campaign for governor and Green's failure to get the endorsement of the Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund PAC. He said he asked Matt Sande of Pro-Life Wisconsin to waive the requirement that the candidate support a ban on abortion even in cases where the life of the mother is in danger. Pro-Life Wisconsin refused, and Green could not agree with the organization's position.

Some other notes on the primary:

Graul predicted that because of the size of the margin of victory, Linda Clifford's campaign and it's allies would probably attack earlier than originally planned.

I think it interesting that the pro-life vote in the primary (Ziegler plus Sommers) totalled 73% of the vote.

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Check the endorsement

An interesting question before tomorrow's primary is why the Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund (PLWVF) PAC endorsed attorney Joe Sommers over Annette Ziegler. Despite the ravings of one blogger, the answer is really quite simple, and was easily found out with a phone call to Pro-Life Wisconsin's Legislative Affairs Director Matt Sande. The simple answer is that Annette Ziegler apparently did not seek PLWVF's endorsement, and did not respond when the PLWVF attempted to ask the candidate about her views. Joe Sommers, on the other hand, was a known quantity to Pro-Life Wisconsin, is outspokenly pro-life, was responsive to the PLWVF's board, and lives by a pro-life philosophy.

Ziegler's campaign manager Mark Graul did speak with Matt Sande last week, and Sande said he was assured Ziegler is a strict constructionist. However, Sande pointed out the Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund would be unable to continue the process to determine if they should endorse Ziegler without being able to question the candidate. Sande said, "the door is always open."

A couple of other tidbits.

This is the second statewide race in a row for Republican campaign manager Mark Graul where the candidate did not seek the Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund endorsement. Last election cycle it was former Congressman Mark Green's campaign for governor. (Mark Graul did not return my call.)

The Pro-Life Wisconsin Victory Fund did receive a response from Linda Clifford, who declined to state her views on abortion saying it would be "inappropriate." No word why the other interest groups would be more appropriate.

Update! I forgot I wanted to add WVCY's interviews with the three candidates can be found at their website.

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