McCabe Formally Exploring Run For Governor As Democrat

Former Wisconsin Democracy Campaign director Mike McCabe has formed a committee to formally explore running for governor as a Democrat.

McCabe said he doesn’t consider himself a member of either political party, but he thinks he’d have the best chance of changing the political system as a Democrat.

“The mold needs to be broken — the system needs to be shaken up,” McCabe said. “And that goes for the Democratic Party as well. The Democratic Party needs to change and it needs to be challenged to change its ways, and that’s what I intend to do.”

McCabe filed paperwork Monday morning with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission forming a committee called “Commoners for McCabe.” He said he expects to launch his campaign in September.

For 15 years, McCabe ran the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a group tracking political donations to Wisconsin candidates for office.

After leaving, McCabe formed a group called Blue Jeans Nation, which bills itself as a place for the “politically homeless.”

When McCabe first hinted at a run in May, he wouldn’t say whether he’d run as a Democrat or an independent. In a phone interview Monday, McCabe said running as a Democrat was the most “effective and practical way” for him to shake up politics.

“Democrats need new blood,” McCabe said. “They need revitalization. And there need to be people who do challenge the party to change.”

As far as a platform goes, McCabe said he supports a living wage for everyone, health care for all and “high speed internet at every doorstep.”

He counts two Democrats among his political heroes: former Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Bill Proxmire and former Wisconsin U.S. Sen. and Gov. Gaylord Nelson. Proxmire served 30 years in the U.S. Senate and Nelson founded Earth Day.

“They breathed life into a party that was virtually dead at the time,” said McCabe.

Several other Democrats have filed paperwork to run for Wisconsin governor in 2018, including Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik, who formally announced his campaign for governor last week, Alma State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout and Madison resident Bob Harlow.

Other Democrats considering running for governor include Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Evers, Eau Claire state Rep. Dana Wachs and Milwaukee attorney Matt Flynn.

The State Republican Party issued a statement calling McCabe a “phony” for criticizing political donations to candidates when the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign accepted anonymous donations under his watch.

“While Governor Walker has reformed our state, Mike McCabe would do nothing but mislead Wisconsinites and take our state backwards,” said Alec Zimmerman, spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Gov. Scott Walker has not formally announced he’s seeking a third term, but he’s gearing up for it. Last week, his campaign announced it raised $3.5 million in the first half of this year and has more than $2.4 million on hand.

Editor’s Note: This story was last updated at 4:20 p.m. Monday, July 17, 2017.