MORE THAN ENDORSEMENTS NEEDED IN DA'S RACE

The Democratic political establishment has made clear its sentiments in
the race for Dane County district attorney. Former Gov. Tony Earl,
Attorney General Jim Doyle, state Reps. Mark Pocan, Mark Miller and
Terese Berceau all have endorsed Brian Blanchard, an able, well-
qualified, thoughtful and in many senses appealing lawyer who seems
well prepared to fill a post that conveys upon its occupant immense
power to define the character and direction of the community.

If he is nominated in next month's Democratic primary, Blanchard is
likely to win the district attorney's job. Appointed incumbent Brian
Brophy, a Republican in what often ranks as the state's most Democratic
county, serves as DA by virtue of a dubious, election-year advancement
from Gov. Tommy Thompson.

It would be an understatement to suggest that Brophy lacks a firm grip
on the post; and that grip would grow notably more tenuous in a race
with an attractive candidate like Blanchard, a former assistant U.S.
attorney whose legal skills so obviously dwarf those of Brophy.

But Blanchard's road to the DA's job won't necessarily be an easy one.
Indeed, to get to the general election in November, he must win a
Democratic primary race with activist lawyer Dave Karpe. And in the
primary race, it is Karpe who is running hardest and doing the best job
of raising and responding to issues.

Blanchard seems to have settled on the strategy that he can win the
primary by collecting big-name endorsements and speaking in cautious,
legalistic terms about everything from campaign finance reform to labor
law. That's a safe approach, and one that often works.

But there are risks for Blanchard, particularly in a low-turnout
Democratic primary in Dane County, where the voters who actually make
it to the polls are the sort of folks for whom issues count. And right
now, Karpe is claiming the high ground of serious dialogue on matters
that matter.

Karpe is running on a platform that speaks to the serious concerns of
Dane County's progressive Democrats, and he is sending the right
signals. His literature features pledges that, if elected DA, Karpe
would "never ... prosecute a woman or a medical practitioner for a safe
abortion,'' that he would "speak out forcefully to keep the death
penalty out of Wisconsin,'' that he would work to "provide treatment
rather than lock-up for peaceful drug addicts'' and that he would
prosecute children in juvenile rather than adult courts.

Particularly refreshing is Karpe's commitment to use the power of the
DA's office to safeguard the right of workers to organize, strike and
picket.

Brian Blanchard has the high-profile endorsements. But Dave Karpe has
staked out the issues that resonate with progressive voters. If
Blanchard wants to prevail in September and make it to that November
race he would almost certainly win, he will first have to battle his
Democratic challenger on the field of ideas.

As of now, with the primary election just two weeks away, it is Karpe
who has shown himself to be better armed for that clash.