Here & Now

UWM Professor Emeritus on National and State Politics

Frederica Freyberg:

As voters look ahead to the day when President Donald Trump has a single nominee to run against, the run-up to that brings us debate stages with a dozen candidates. And meanwhile, state politics mirrors Washington in conflict and consternation. In tonight’s inside look, a check-in with former State Senator and Emeritus Professor Mordecai Lee. Thanks very much for being here.

Mordecai Lee:

Thanks for inviting me.

Frederica Freyberg:

So first, on the big stage, national politics. You described this week’s Democratic debate as good news for Wisconsin. How so?

Mordecai Lee:

Our April primary sometimes comes so late in the process that either the nomination is essentially wrapped up or it’s only down to let’s say two candidates. That’s what happened last time. I think when you looked at the debate, you saw that there are several long-distance runners. They were marathon runners either because they’ve got a good capability of raising money or they’ve got a good capability of appealing to certain demographics. So, in other words, some people will do well in New Hampshire and Iowa, but even if the ones, those long-distance runners, even if they don’t come in first or second or third, if they’ve got the money, they’re going to last a long time. And so I think by the time we get to voting in April in our primary, I think we’re going to have four, five, six candidates, all viable and it’ll be meaningful for people to vote in that.

Frederica Freyberg:

But aren’t voters getting antsy for the field to be significantly narrowed?

Mordecai Lee:

No. You want me to elaborate on that. I think voters like choice. The thing about, let’s say having four or five or six candidates is that each one of them will occupy a niche. It might be a niche based on demographics. It might be a niche based on geography. It might be a niche based on ideology. But people will be able to say, “I don’t like those 3 but I really like this one or two and I’m going to end up voting for so and so.” I think choice is always a good thing for voters.

Frederica Freyberg:

Let’s go to state politics. You’ve got some fascinating takes on Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald’s run for Congress. You ask will he go more partisan to grab the Republican base or less so to appear more statesman-like. What do you think?

Mordecai Lee:

I think it’s really impressive that when there’s a vacant Congressional seat, one that hasn’t been vacant for 30, 40 years, that he essentially has become the nominee. The same thing happened in Paul Ryan’s seat. The Republican Party is very well-organized. They’ve got a machine. So if he’s now the de facto Republican nominee, that he’s got it in the bag, question is what does he do while he’s waiting for the election until next November? As majority leader, does he become more partisan, so in Waukesha County he’s really mobilizing his base, really electrifying conservatives? Or does he want to become more sort of statesman-like, more congressional? Does he go more moderate? My guess is it’s going to be the former rather than the latter. In other words, always keep your base in mind. That’s how you win elections. And so that probably means that for the next year and for any special sessions, he’ll be sort of the same old Fitz.

Frederica Freyberg:

How difficult do Donald Trump’s troubles make it for Scott Fitzgerald to go that uber partisan?

Mordecai Lee:

Well, I think if you’re running in the Sensenbrenner district, that is such an overwhelmingly Republican district that there’s an incentive to be conservative and to be supportive of the president because that’s sort of what the base wants. I can’t imagine that district going democratic. I mean maybe if there’s a Noah’s flood, a political flood, that maybe, maybe a Democrat would have a chance. But otherwise he doesn’t have to worry about it.

Frederica Freyberg:

Let me ask you about the governor’s veto power. We have this one-two punch between a lawsuit that just hit the State Supreme Court and the Republican Legislature to limit the governor’s veto power. Now you know we’ve been down this road before, but what’s your prediction about whether Governor Tony Evers’ keeps his powerful veto pen?

Mordecai Lee:

I think it’s pretty low because a Constitutional amendment or a decision by the Supreme Court right now would tend not to have much influence for the governor. After all, the Supreme Court is 5-2 conservative. It’s de facto republican. A constitutional amendment, a governor plays no role. A governor can’t veto a constitutional amendment. So I suspect that he’s going to lose on the constitutional amendment and he’s going to lose before the State Supreme Court.

Frederica Freyberg:

So there goes the veto pen.

Mordecai Lee:

Not quite, but it’ll be limited.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. Mordecai Lee, thanks very much for joining us.

Mordecai Lee:

Thank you, Frederica.