Republican runs to restore office destroyed by Republicans. Dizzy yet?

Republicans hate the office of the Secretary of State so much they stripped it of almost every duty, without going through the trouble of changing the state constitution.

The remaining duties include publishing bills into law and keeping the state seal. Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette has served as secretary of state since 1975.

GOP candidate Julian Bradley is all about taking back the office his party spent so much time destroying, mostly because a Democrat has held it so long. Bradley also went on a "Shattering Stereotypes Tour" to prove Republicans aren't the maniacal closeted racists most people think they are because well, he's black. Wow, I'm convinced now. It looks like he caught on to the old liberal trick; we leave racist signs on the ground, and when a conservative picks one up, we take a picture of them waving it around proudly. It works all the time too.

Bradley also wants to pull the GAB under his wing, kind of politicizing it a just little, because that's what other states do. Hey, is that plagiarism (hot word now)? Those independent retired judges need a guy like Bradley to keep them in line with the party philosophy.

Bradley wants to "rebuild" the bridges La Follette burned with Republicans.  Mike Gousha asked Bradley if that didn't just make government bigger again, by adding more duties to the office. Bradley's said his new powers would make the office more efficient. That makes perfect sense.

This whole interview is surreal and an amazing example of having it both ways, but only if you're a Republican. From Upfront with Mike Gousha, this slide show (not a video clip):



Note: Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett also floated plans to retire the office, but not out of retaliation for delaying the publication of Act 10.