Despite scandals, GOP strengthens hold on Assembly
0:29 AM 11/06/02
Karen Rivedal Wisconsin State Journal

Assembly Republicans were building on their majority on Election Day, despite fielding two leaders facing felony charges and a governor's candidate with short coattails.

Vote totals showed the GOP leaning toward a 58-41 majority. Among others, Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, R-Waukesha, and Majority Leader Steven Foti, R-Oconomowoc - both of whom were charged in the still-unfolding caucus scandal - rolled to easy wins.

But locally, state Rep. Rick Skindrud, R-Mount Horeb, lost to Democrat Sondy Pope-Roberts. With all wards counted, Pope-Roberts finished with a healthy lead over Skindrud, who was considered vulnerable because of shifting district boundaries that cut into the nine-year veteran's strong rural base in the 79th District.

Before the election, Republicans controlled the Assembly by a comfortable margin of 13 seats. Plus, a mutually beneficial redistricting process meant most of the 54 contested seats were considered safe for incumbents of either party.

But veterans and challengers alike knew that little could be taken for granted going into the election, with the state's worst political corruption scandal in memory still hogging the headlines and with the state's fiscal health on life support.

In that context, at least on paper, Assembly Republicans had reasons to be nervous. First, only Republicans have been charged in the Assembly so far in the state caucus scandal -although Democratic leaders face many similar charges in the Senate.

In the Assembly, prosecutors charged Jensen with three felony counts of misconduct in office and one misdemeanor, while Foti faces one felony count for misconduct, for various offenses involving the illegal use of state employees as campaign workers.

And while both men have maintained their innocence, it remained to be seen if voters would give them the benefit of the doubt. Foti, in particular, was facing a stiff challenge in the 38th District from Democrat Mo Hansen, who, as a former legislative employee, was the first whistleblower on the illegal caucus practices.

With all the votes counted Tuesday, Foti held a solid lead. Hansen, who supports abortion rights, attributed his loss to many single-issue rural voters who oppose abortion.

But Hansen said he was glad he made the race more of a contest.

"In my mind, the connection between the Legislature as a whole and the people is broken," Hansen said. "Many legislators have been getting a free ride."

Jensen faced a three-way battle to retain his seat in the 98th District. But Jensen soon easily beat his opponents, Independent Party candidate Dottie Feder and Libertarian Robert Collison.