It's come to this: Things have gotten so bad that a Yellow Dog Democrat like me is going to vote for a Republican this year.
No, the Tea Party hasn't won me over. Neither has clueless Ron Johnson, although I am for "freedom," whatever that means.
It's the Milwaukee County sheriff's race, where the conservative, Tea Party-talking, Republican in all but name, David Clarke, somehow is running as a Democrat.
I wasn't even sure he had a general election opponent, after squeaking through the "Democratic" primary, but it turns out he is being challenged by a 17-year veteran of the Milwaukee Police Dept., Steven Duckhorn.
The Journal Sentinel reported in a Saturday story that readers will little note nor long remember that:
Duckhorn's platform is close to that of Chris Moews, the Democratic candidate Clarke beat in the September primary.
Duckhorn faults Clarke for a top-down management style that he says is disrespectful of his deputies. Duckhorn, like Moews, also criticizes Clarke for misplaced priorities, for not hiring any new deputies in years and for a showboating style with an overemphasis on parades.
"We need leadership that knows how to get the best out of deputies, not the worst," said Duckhorn. His main reason for running, Duckhorn said, is to deal with what he called "a great morale" problem in the sheriff's office. Unlike Clarke, Duckhorn said, he won't "have to receive all the glory and always have the face in the parade."
Duckhorn (great name) isn't going to win in Democratic Milwaukee County, it's safe to say. But it's a chance to send a message to the egomaniacal Clarke on election day, and I think I'll take the opportunity to be one of those independent Wisconsin voters we hear so much about.
Democrats for Duckhorn starts today.