WOW!! What a weekend!! Got back from the WI GOP convention mid day today. While the Grand Prize (a party endorsement of Neumann) eluded us, we got a heck of a consolation prize. It included:

1. Most votes in the first round of endorsement voting, almost 2:1 over nearest competition.

2. Winning the second round of voting as well.

3. Biggest spender in the race, who also had staff hand out "I am going to win" poll that said he was leading, was bumped out of consideration for the endorsement on the first round. I wonder if Mr. Hovde can get back the money he paid for that obviously errant poll?

4. Everyone's odds on favorite to win, Tommy Thompson, was bumped out of consideration on the next round. With only about 20% support from party activists, this has to be a blow to Tommy's considerable ego. I suspect he counted heavily on the endorsement, as that would have given him a significant advantage, with use of Victory centers, phones, party mailing lists, endorsements of incumbents as well as intangibles and a fundraising advantage that would have gone to the endorsed candidate.

I gave my congratulations to Jeff Fitzgerald for narrowly leading in the last round of voting, and pledged support if he wins the primary. As Jeff got less than 52% and it takes a 60% vote for an endorsement, there will be no party endorsement for US Senate this year.

Let me repeat a prediction I have made from the beginning: Tommy will drop out of the race before the primary, perhaps as soon as this week. He is older than his years, and the toil of the campaign is wearing heavily upon him. He will not have the stamina to run as hard as he must, and would endanger his health to even consider it.