In a practical sense, it makes little difference. La Follette is a lefty who abused the office on behalf of his ideology and Godlewski will do the same. His legacy is that he spent his entire life trading off of a reputation that someone else earned for his name… and squandered it.

But the brazen political maneuvering here to give Godlewski a cushy state job for the next four years when the voters just rejected her is gross. The state Democratic machine is positioning her with a statewide office that she can use to build her profile for future office. It’s transparent. It’s unethical. And it’ll probably work.

MADISON – Doug La Follette, Wisconsin’s Secretary of State and the longest serving statewide elected official in the nation, is retiring after holding the office for nearly five decades.

 

La Follette, 82, is leaving the post he has held onto through election cycles swept by Republicans and survived aggressive primary challenges by members of his own party. His departure comes two months into a new term he narrowly secured in November.

 

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday he has appointed former state treasurer and unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Sarah Godlewski to replace La Follette and serve the remainder of his term.