It has come to be known as "The Colorado Model" – take some pretty big bucks, divvy them up among a few sleepy, local races and voila, the Dems – and very liberal Dems at that – control a state’s legislature. Faster than the speed of kryptonite – or something like that.

A bevy of researchers have noted the stealth spread of multi-multi-millionaire, gay activist Coloradan Tim Gill’s money, pals, more money - and influence. In May of 2009, Katherine Kersten at the Minneapolis Star Tribune noted:

[Gill] and his pals --  like-minded, mega-bucks donors -- hold that most decisions affecting gays are made at the state level. They believe they can get more bang for their buck in sleepy state races, where relatively small sums of money can turn the tide…

Gill got his start in Colorado. Beginning in 2004, his millions helped switch the state from red to blue in what a former legislator has called "one of the most stunning reversals of fortune in American political history."

Since then, Gill has taken "the Colorado model" national. He and his allies have poured millions into tax-exempt 527s and state political campaigns with two purposes -- to eliminate vocal supporters of traditional marriage before they hit the national arena and to flip legislatures to Democratic control when they can do so by targeting a few vulnerable seats.

Exactly what happened to Iowa in 2006 – and Wisconsin in 2008.

Conservative strategists and pundits are touting a new book detailing Gill and crew’s inner workings  and the multitude of 501(c)(4)’s and 527’s sowed and amply fertilized across the national landscape since 2006. The strategy guide’s descriptive moniker, The Blueprint: How the Democrats won Colorado (and why Republicans everywhere should care) , issues a warning that best not be disregarded by any state in the union. The guy telling the tales is insider Rob Witwer, a Denver political journalist and former Republican Colorado state legislator.

You better believe Gill and friends are not happy about Wisconsin’s Marriage Amendment and will do anything and everything, including gaining control of legislatures, to get rid of the "one-man, one-woman" provision in the Constitution. That’s not to mention liberalized sex ed, domestic partner benefit and hate speech agendas. Just as in Colorado in 2004 and Iowa in 2006, they were here – big time, in 2008 legislative races, including my failed effort in the 57th, now represented by Dem Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton).

The 57th was just what Gill and the gang ordered – one of 5 targeted throughout the state for big-time 527 spending by the liberals in their drive to take over the Assembly. Moderate Republican Steve Wieckert was retiring after 12 years; and after 2002 redistricting, the district’s Republican share was just barely hitting the dial at 50%.

Wisconsin Republicans better darn care

The flipped Wisconsin legislature – Obama impact aside – with Dems gaining 5 seats and control of the Assembly – shows exactly why Republicans – and flipped Assembly Republicans – better oughta darn care.

Of the $115,893 Bernard-Schaber spent in 2008, at least $18,300 was contributed by folks with ties to Gill, hailing from such outposts as Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, New York and Boston, Kalamazoo, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Houston, Tulsa, Phoenix, Denver and environs, San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Those same out-of-staters contributed over $200,000, in mostly $250, $500 and $1,000 amounts, primarily to 13 other legislative candidates and the legislative caucuses. They won six of the 14 races; two incumbents re-elected, two freshmen holding previous Dem seats and two flips – including the 57th. 

The Atlantic did a great expose in early 2007, letting Danny Carroll in on the secret. The Iowa House of Representatives Republican speaker Pro tem was narrowly defeated in November, 2006 and blamed the loss on extra active college kids.

But, no.

Over the summer [of 2006], Carroll’s opponent started receiving checks from across the country—significant sums for a statehouse race, though none so large as to arouse suspicion (the gifts topped out at $1,000). Because they came from individuals and not from organizations, nothing identified the money as being “gay,” or even coordinated. Only a very astute political operative would have spotted the unusual number of out-of-state donors and pondered their interest in an obscure midwestern race. And only someone truly versed in the world of gay causes would have noticed a $1,000 contribution from Denver, Colorado, and been aware that its source, Tim Gill, is the country’s biggest gay donor, and the nexus of an aggressive new force in national politics.

Carroll certainly didn’t catch on until I called him after the election, in which Democrats took control of both legislative chambers, as well as Carroll’s seat and four of the five others targeted by Gill and his allies.

Exactly. This was Wisconsin in 2008 – and it's sure to be hotter and more intense in 2010. It's time for the Wisconsin GOP to wake up – or they could very well get rolled – again.

Jo Egelhoff authors FoxPolitics.net.

-April 19, 2010

 

Home | About | Commentators | Recent Commentary | Reports by Subject | Reports by Author
Podcast | Contact Us | Blog | Polls | Contribute
Copyright 2009 Wisconsin Policy Research Institute