Dems rally around State Senator Julie Lassa for Obey's seat

[undeterred]

WisPolitics: Dems rally around Lassa, GOP gets in first shots
5/11/2010

Sens. Russ Decker and Pat Kreitlow are getting behind fellow Dem Sen. Julie Lassa in her campaign for the 7th CD.

Meanwhile, Republicans are getting their first shots in on Lassa as she seeks to replace the retiring Dave Obey. State GOP Chair Reince Priebus said in a statement that voters should “expect more Obey-style spending without abandon” from Lassa. See the statement.

Dems over the weekend looking for a candidate to rally around and possibly head off a bloody primary. Decker, who had been weighing a bid, said “it was Julie’s decision to run” and that in the end, he wanted to continue representing the 29th SD.

Kreitlow released a statement saying he is "wholeheartedly" endorsing Lassa. "Julie Lassa is one of the Legislature's most successful bipartisan leaders on job creation and economic growth," said Kreitlow, D-Chippewa Falls. "She has a long productive record of working to make sure state initiatives are targeted toward the best interests of Wisconsin families and businesses."

Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Donna Seidel told the Wausau Daily Herald that she also has decided against a run. She has not returned calls from WisPolitics. Former state Sen. Kevin Shibilski said he continues to reach out to party activists as he considers a run, while sources indicated state Rep. Louis Molepske was also still considering a bid.

The NRCC got in a shot on Lassa even before she officially announced her campaign. NRCC spokesman Tom Erickson said in a statement that the state has lost 175,000 jobs during Lassa's tenure as chair of the Economic Development Committee.

Priebus also dinged Lassa for supporting a universal health care plan and called her a “rubber stamp for the policies of leftist leaders in Madison.”

-By WisPolitics Staff

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=196071

[undeterred]

1. Past could help Lassa's future

Retiring U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, will be remembered for the work he did on behalf of several constituency groups. But perhaps the voting block that will miss Obey's support the most is farmers. Although the economy and jobs will figure heavily in the race to capture his seat, any candidate who hopes to replace the longtime legislator will have to convince farmers in the 7th Congressional District that he or she will have their interests in mind when they get to D.C.

State Sen. Julie Lassa, who announced May 10 she was running for Obey's seat, has authored and sponsored a variety of agricultural-related bills since she was elected to the Legislature in 1998, but an area she has focused on the most in recent years is finding ways to support small farmers and encourage the consumption of local foods.

The local food movement -- already going strong in places such as Madison and Milwaukee -- is gaining steam in central Wisconsin thanks to groups such as the Central River Farmshed, and Lassa's support for such issues could help her curry favor with small farmers and Democrats.

In 2008 Lassa, who grew up on a dairy farm in the town of Dewey, authored the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin legislation. Now law, the program gives local organizations and small farmers the ability to join forces to sell local foods, including vegetables, meat and dairy products, to schools, hospitals, restaurants and other institutions. The program provides grants to help the consortiums grow, Lassa said, and ensures there is strong, growing support for "buy local" initiatives across the state.

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20100516/CWS0101/5160550/1982/WRT04/Past-could-help-Lassa-s-future

[undeterred]

2. High-profile women's group (Emilys List) backs Lassa for Congress

WASHINGTON -- It didn't take long for the staff at EMILY's List to assess Julie Lassa's campaign apparatus and potential and decide that the Stevens Point state senator was a congressional candidate worth backing.

So 15 days after Lassa's May 10 announcement of her bid to replace retiring Rep. Dave Obey, EMILY's List endorsed her campaign, hoping to add her name to the long list of women the group has helped get elected to Congress during the past 21/2 decades.

"Drawing on her deep roots in the district, Julie is building a campaign organization second to none, putting her on track for a great victory in November," said Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY's List, in a statement announcing the group's endorsement.

Lassa's campaign said the endorsement is one of several that reflect the candidate's appeal. "We're very proud of the broad base of support that Julie's gotten," campaign manager Rick Fromberg said. "We're committed to running a campaign that reflects the values of voters in the 7th Congressional District."

http://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/article/20100704/CWS0101/7040570/High-profile-women-s-group-backs-Lassa-for-Congress

:thumbsup: Fantastic to see her getting national suppport. :applause: