Milwaukee County Special Election Gets Publicity - - In The Madison Media

Veteran Milwaukee reporter Dom Noth has filed an informative report about the fault lines and influences in a special election next month to fill a state assembly vacancy in the south Milwaukee suburbs.

Former incumbent Mark Honadel, a Republican, resigned from his 21st District seat in September to pursue a yet-to-be-disclosed private sector opportunity.

About the GOP special election campaign effort, Noth wrote:

Through a series of miscues reflecting the dissension caused by tea party extremism, the Republicans wound up with five candidates, many unwanted, trying to out-right-wing each other in a primary Oct. 22. Most represent extremist viewpoints that hardly fit this hardworking family-oriented community.

About the sole Democratic candidate: 

Most telling, [Elizabeth Coppola] is a 2011 Emerge Wisconsin graduate. Emerge’s only purpose is to pick and train women to campaign as strong Democrats, learning networking, community issues and how to raise money. It already has helped three dozen women get elected in Wisconsin — including members of the state Assembly and Senate. It is an ever-growing force in local elections.

And you can't help noticing that this report is in the Madison Capital Times, certainly not the paper of record in the 21st Assembly district - - part of a politically-diverse Senate district represented by State Senator and Minority Leader Chris Larson, a Democrat - -  but a site that recognizes the statewide implications of the race. 

Let's hope that local media here are this attentive.