Washington Outsider Ron Johnson is ready to take on Career Politician Russ Feingold in Wisconsin. The Washington Examiner reported on Johnson’s role as an outsider and how he will benefit from it in 2016.
Despite being the incumbent, Johnson built a career and life outside of politics. His 2010 Senate campaign was his first run for public office, and as his campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, said:
"The people of Wisconsin chose Ron Johnson because he is an accountant and a manufacturer — and not a politician," Ankney said. "That’s exactly what the voters wanted after 18 years of a partisan Washington insider like Senator Feingold. Ron is still the accountant and manufacturer from Oshkosh, and Feingold is still the partisan senator from Washington."
The differences between the two Wisconsin candidates could not be more apparent. Feingold spent three terms – 18 years – in Washington. Before his three terms in the Senate, he was a state senator in the Wisconsin for 10 years. He turned into a career politician. He later moved to California to teach.
While Johnson has only been in office for one term, he has been able to make the most of his time. Washington Examiner explained:
But Johnson has risen quickly in Washington, in Feingold’s absence. When Republicans took control of the Senate in 2014, Johnson became chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. While he has logged fewer years in the upper chamber than any other committee chairman in the entire U.S. Senate, his experience allows him to tout his leadership in Washington to voters back home.
Johnson isn’t the only Midwest Republican running as an outsider. The article went on to say:
Incumbent Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who was also first elected in 2010, has gone after his opponent’s record of public service and run ads criticizing the Democrat for calling a previous role in Washington his "dream job."
With candidates such as Johnson and Portman, Republicans are in a good position to protect the majority in 2016. They are in touch with the people of their state and will work to protect their interests in Washington.