We need to beat Russell Goodwin
One of three Democrat incumbents in the State Legislature facing a primary challenger, Representative Russell Goodwin of Milwaukee seems far from pleased.
Over the past session, Goodwin’s attacks on transgender kids and decision to restrict free speech in support of Israel’s war crimes has placed him at odds with his party. His mismatched voting record, however, is only the start of his problems. I hear he is also remarkably ineffective as a legislator.
Across his socials, Goodwin claims to be a ‘strong negotiator’ and ‘leader who knows how to get things done’. These statements apparently paint a picture that is foreign to those inside the Capitol.
Reportedly, Goodwin is notorious for rubber-stamping anything that comes across his desk. It is a poorly hidden secret that has resulted in him pulling his name off predatory crypto currency legislation last-minute, and even voting against bills he’s sponsored. Reputedly, this laissez-faire attitude carries over to other facets of his job, emerging in a propensity to skip meetings and remain largely uninvolved with his constituency.
Goodwin’s lack of connectivity with his district and colleagues appears to be made more challenging by his disparate political beliefs. Seemingly socially conservative, economically liberal, and ever opportunistic, Goodwin’s politics are hard to pin down. At best, he can be loosely characterized as a proponent of a free-market social safety net with conservative family values. At worst, it’s been alleged that his vote is an easy one for Assembly Republicans to influence.
While the above has not been corroborated, Goodwin reportedly spends a surprising amount of time in Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’s office. Likewise, his voting record has historically provided Vos with bipartisan cover on marked culture war bills, such as banning transgender girls from participating in girl’s sport and allowing churches to ignore emergency gathering restrictions.
Goodwin’s most recent troubling inconsistency comes in the form of his ballot access challenge. The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) staff recommended that Goodwin qualify for the ballot, but not without first throwing out 39 of his signatures for being out of district. Left with just one more than the minimum number of nomination signatures required, Goodwin came startlingly close to a write-in campaign. Running the numbers, this means that 16% of his total signatures were not valid—a concerning margin of error for any elected official.
The good news for individuals disillusioned with his antics is that he’s facing a very strong primary opponent in the form of community organizer and non-profit professional, Jordan Roman. Please donate to and volunteer with Jordan Roman’s campaign.
