The incumbent comes out swinging.

Unfortunately, her punches are wild.

A friend sent me an email circulated by the incumbent of District 79 yesterday under the Subject Line “Another challenger in my race”.

Odd usage.

I didn’t know the incumbent owned the race.

Without a challenger there is no race.

“I have another opponent, this one with GOP backing.”

The incumbent uses a lot of boldface type. Big letters make words look important. That does not make them correct.

If the incumbent means “GOP backing” is money, she is wrong. I ran for the Dane County Board of Supervisors in the Spring Election and turned away both GOP membership and financial support because the Spring Election came with the title Non-Partisan and I intended to keep it that way.

I did exactly that.

Sure, I received private donations. I did not receive GOP money. I came out of that election as I enter this one.

I don’t owe anyone anything.

The balance of my campaign account at the end of the Spring Election stood at $82.93. Not exactly a war chest.

“They are coming after me,” announces the incumbent.

Quite honestly, I wouldn’t know the incumbent if I saw her walking down the street. I’m far too busy collecting signatures for my nomination papers to Assembly District 79 to be concerned about the incumbent’s additional and inflated references to the race for Governor. Maybe she believes that’s her race too.

“My opponent has gone on record saying he was recruited by leadership in the Republican Party.”

Of course I did.

Would the incumbent prefer I be recruited and say nothing? It’s flattering to be asked to run for a State Office. The Democrats didn’t contact or encourage me. If this is “a coordinated strategy to elect a Republican Governor,” I have no knowledge of it. That doesn’t make it much of a coordinated strategy.

I’ll ask around.

“When the Republican Party comes after me, they are coming after all of us.”

Let’s stop there.

The incumbent has held her seat in the Wisconsin Assembly over ten years. Before that the incumbent sat on the Madison City Council another four years.

That’s a long time.

Maybe long enough.

Maybe too long.

If the thought of competition is so alarming to the incumbent, allow me to respond as the Republican candidate for Assembly District 79 with the greeting customarily extended from one person to another when they are first introduced.

I am delighted to meet you.