If elected, who will replace Turner?

The “What If ” list grows larger day by day. With only a couple of weeks left before a new mayor will replace Mayor Tom Friedel, who was appointed to fill former Mayor Gary Becker’s unfinished term.

Friedel was voted in by the Racine City Council to hold the post exactly 91 days, until his successor is elected on May 5 General election.

The council's action came after Mayor Gary Becker was arrested on child sexual enticement charges and resigned the position he'd held for five years.

Now with Representative Robert Turner and John Dickert running neck and neck, the political conversation has turned to who would seek to replace Turner in Madison if he would become the next mayor of Racine.

Many feel that former Alderman Lorna George, who is Legislative Assistance at Turner’s Madison office, would no doubtingly be the odds-on-favorite to get his nod. After all, George has been a big supporter of Turner and would probably receive his endorsement as well as labor.

Another name that has started to pop-up is Racine’s County Board Supervisor Diane M. Lange. She is an outspoken voice in county government, who has served six terms as a Supervisor and is also a former alderman. Her frequent conflicts with County Executive Bill McReynolds have placed her in the forefront of fighting for progressive causes.

“If the people want me, I would be proud to serve,” says Alderman Michael Shields, whose political career has spanned over 20 years. He is president of the Racine County Dems Party and holds several other key positions in Racine’s political circles.

Keith Fair, who has strong connections in Madison, said that it is a little premature to lend himself to this type of discussion and he personally did not want to be a participant on the blog with speculative scenarios. "Let the process run its course," he explained. However Fair is no political stranger, having been a city alderman and a staffer recently for the Obama Campaign. He would be formidable candidate.

Others that were suggested have been Pete Karas, who is a member of the Green Party and a recent mayoral candidate in the primary. He was one of the first to endorse Turner after the April 7 run-off election.

The big question being asked is whether or not Kim Plache, a well-known community leader in Racine, will jump from the school board and run for the staff position. After all, she too is no stranger to Madison, being a former state senator turned community activist. Since leaving the state legislature in 2002, Kim has maintained a high profile by serving on community boards and working to help support local candidates. Kim is currently a Steering Committee Member for the Women's Progressive Network of Racine, where she was part of a group that helped recruit 11 candidates to run for office in 2008.

Craig Oliver, who is being credited for orchestrating Turner’s primary win said that who ever seeks the job, will need to be connected to the city in a real way, and not in an imaginary manner. “Living in the city and knowing its inner workings will be paramount,” he said.

If elected, Turner has said that he would stay until the budget is finished and then would resign from his Assembly seat. He is committed to being Mayor and understands the time it will take if elected. “I am committed to the job of mayor. If the people of Racine choose me to serve as their mayor, I will resign my position in the state assembly as soon as the state budget is passed,” he said.

The Wisconsin Accountability Board says that under state statute Gov. Jim Doyle would call for a special election. Interested candidates could then fill out their paperwork to run for the open seat.

The Insider News Interviews Keith Fair

This year Keith Fair and Alderman Jeff Coe will have two newcomers; Renee Mullen and Mercedes Dzindzeleta, to contend with in a primary election which will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.
Kenneth Lumpkin, publisher of the Insider News, sat with Keith Fair for a brief chat on Fair's views on his campaign.

Fair, Coe, faces February runoff

UPDATE
This year Keith Fair and Alderman Jeff Coe will have two newcomers; Renee Mullen and Mercedes Dzindzeleta, to contend with in a primary election which will be held the first Tuesday in February.

Fair had said he believed that candidates were being recruited by a new organization created to infuse more candidates into the local electoral process. A group of former workers who supported Pres. elect Barack Obama and worked out of his office in Racine have organized to recruit local candidates to run in the school board, county board, and city council elections.

He said that the new formed group who call themselves Community for Change-" Yes We Can," recruited a downtown resident (Mercedes Dzindzeleta) in an attempt to derail his campaign against Coe.

A coordinator for the "Yes We Can" group, told the Insider News by phone that the assertion that the group is soliciting candidates is not true. "We do a lot of things," she said, "but recruiting candidates is something the organization is not interested in." She added, "We have nothing to say about it (who runs for office), we wish everyone well. That's up to everyone's personal choice," she said.

Fair said that he is sticking by the information provided to him and believes the early primary will have little impact on his aggressive campaign to be elected to the position that both Fair and Coe have been seesawing back and fourth to hold. Fair is running for the City Council's First District seat for the third straight election. Fair was contacted on Monday and confirmed that he knew about a third candidate. .

In 2005, Fair was elected to the council by three votes over incumbent Jeff Coe. In 2007, Coe returned the favor by beating Fair 217-168. Fair also tried to run against Coe in 2003, but was left off the ballot after then City Clerk Karen Norton ruled Fair did not have enough valid signatures.

Fair, 56, a former Kenosha Police officer is the owner of Fair’s Investigation Service, located in downtown Racine, said that the next alderman has to be concerned about all neighborhoods in this diverse district. “As alderman, I can not just be connected to downtown and say my job is done. I have to represent people throughout the District,” he explained.

Fair served as Deputy Field Organizer for the President-Elect Barack Obama's campaign in Racine this summer and said that the experience gave him the opportunity to meet people throughout the 1st District and learn more about their needs in a struggling economy. He believes that although things seem in a slump at present, there is much that can be done to improve the city by neighbors working together. “These are very exciting times for me as well as others with the election of Barack Obama. I would like to see some enthusiasm at the local level and I am looking forward to serving on the city council once again,” he states.

On Monday at the Chancery restaurant, likewise, Alderman Coe confirmed that he was also aware of a third person running for the first district seat that he now holds.

Young Makes Bid to Be Seated on School Board
Stella Young, a counselor at Gateway Technical College, and a long time community educator, told the Insider News Sunday that she would be a candidate for the Racine Unified School District.

Young, who is well known for educational reform in an attempt to narrow the achievement gaps between minorities and their counter parts has previously served on the board. At this time no other minority candidates have announced their intention to be seated on the nine member board.

Last year Karen Norton and Rev. Melvin Hargrove, both African-Americans, ran and Hargrove was the highest vote getter in the contest. At this time, there is no word that Norton will seek to be elected to the board this spring.