Well, the Dane County Executive is getting the Falk out. And now speculation turns to her successor. It doesn't take an expert in county politics to identify the most likely progressive candidate as County Board President Scott McDonnel.
McDonnel has been on the board forever and he has risen to the top job on the body by winning the support of fellow liberals. His influence among his peers was illustrated in Dianne Hesselbein's unsuccessful bid for Assembly, which won the support of a large majority of the board's progressive members. In supporting a relatively unknown and inexperienced candidate, the board members were going against the wishes of Falk and snubbing the candidacy of Brett Hulsey, a board veteran and a known seeker of the 77th seat long before Hesselbein was elected two years ago.
"I'm still talking to people," said McDonell in response to a Sconz inquiry. Nevertheless, McDonell's long-time friend (they used to live in the International Co-op together) Mike Basford, a perennial local politico, has already set up the "Draft Scott McDonell" facebook group. The membership already includes a wide spectrum of progressive names, including Brenda Konkel, AFSCME's Jason Sidener and Steve Hiniker. I would offer more but I only get a limited glimpse without joining the group...
Wispolitics reports that John Imes is considering a run. An extreme underdog candidate, once again. A single-digit finish in an Assembly primary is probably not a great way to leverage support for a County Executive race, and moreover, Dane County politicos are not going to be as warm to an "outsider" candidacy as the state Republican Party.
My guess would be that it is either McDonell or a McDonell-supported candidate, whether that is another county board member or another local politico, such as former Ald. Zach Brandon.
