A Three-Pack of Questions

While everyone else is speculating about the rumors that Dick Leinenkugel is preparing to run for U.S. Senate, I have three basic questions, assuming that the rumors are true:

1. Exactly who recruited him?

I can't imagine that it was anyone at the Republican Party of Wisconsin, with all of their counterproductive vitriol while he has been Secretary of Commerce. Wasn't it Dick Leinenkugel that praised the budget last year, saying that it would "spur business growth"? You don't have to look at the RPW's budget-time talking points very long to learn what they thought of those comments. And what about the fact that he was headlining fundraisers for Democratic candidates as recently as December 10th?

Who knows? Maybe it could be big biz folks and/or Tommy loyalists that recruited him. Or maybe it was the national Republican big-wigs that have been so desperate to get a real candidate.

2. Whoever they are...are they really this tone-deaf to their increasingly extreme base?

Are Republicans so desperate to get a real candidate that they will simply ignore the feelings of the rank-and-file? For example, I'm sure that the average tea party attendee will have a hard time digesting Leinenkugel's declaration in November that "Wisconsin is a great place to do business" and his support for the stimulus and high speed rail. It all runs totally contrary to their folklore.

3. Will a tea party candidate enter the picture in the Republican primary to stand for the the things that they purport to believe in?

UPDATE: Not exactly the best start to a campaign...already being panned by some conservatives and using a state phone number as a contact for a campaign website?