New Poll Results: Thompson Leads in US Senate Race

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson leads three other candidates in the race for the Republican nomination for the US Senate seat open in Wisconsin this year, according to results of the Marquette Law School Poll released on Wednesday. Thompson also drew more support than Democratic candidate Tammy Baldwin in a head-to-head trail heat.

But a quarter of people who said they plan to vote in the Aug. 14 Republican primary said they were undecided or didn’t know whom they would support, indicating that there is potential for substantial change before the election.

Among people who said they intended to vote in the Republican primary, 34% said they backed Thompson, with 16% supporting former Congressman Mark Neumann, 14% for Madison businessman Eric Hovde, and 10% for Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald.

In a Thompson-Baldwin match, Thompson was the choice of 49% of people in the poll, with Baldwin, a Democratic member of Congress from Madison, drawing 41%. In other head-to-head matches, Baldwin and Neumann tied at 44% each, and Baldwin led both Fitzgerald (45% to 39%) and Hovde (45% to 36%).

In an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” session at Eckstein Hall, Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said that if it hadn’t been for the recall election for governor on June 5, the Senate race would have been one of the most fascinating elections in recent state politics. But the race drew little attention until now.

In another poll result, Democratic President Barack Obama was supported by 49% of likely voters in the November election, with Republican candidate Mitt Romney supported by 43%. In late May, the poll found Obama ahead 51% to 43%.

Full results of the poll may be found by clicking here. The conversation about poll results between Gousha, the Law School’s distinguished fellow in law and public policy, and Franklin, visiting professor in law and public policy, may be found by clicking here.

Continue ReadingNew Poll Results: Thompson Leads in US Senate Race

“Playing Offense from the Center” Urged as a Step to Increase Civility in Governing

Keynoting the annual Restorative Justice Conference at Marquette University Law School on Friday, news commentator and author John Avlon called for those who want to see more civility and cooperation in government bodies to assert themselves.

“You have to play offense from the center,” said Avlon, a columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast and a frequent commentator on CNN. “Part of the problem with moderates is that they’re moderate.”

Avlon told a capacity audience in the Appellate Courtroom in Eckstein Hall that there is more that unites Americans than divides them, but some act like the opposite is true. He said people in both the Republican and Democratic parties need to take stronger stands against those who oppose working with people of differing views in reaching solutions to problems facing the nation.

“Principled compromise is the basis for a functioning democracy,” he said.

Avlon’s remarks were part of the day-long conference, “Restoring Faith in Government: Encouraging Civil Public Discourse,” which included discussions about the state of political campaign advertising, media coverage of politics and policy, and what, if anything, can be done about frequent expression of political hostility in comments on the Internet.

Continue Reading“Playing Offense from the Center” Urged as a Step to Increase Civility in Governing

Former Packer Who Attended MULS Receives PhD Degree

Among those receiving degrees at the 2012 Marquette commencement was former Green Bay Packer linebacker George Koonce. Koonce, who took several classes at the law school while a graduate student at Marquette, received his PhD degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Koonce’s doctoral dissertation was entitled “Role Transition of National Football League Players: Using the Grounded Theory.” The dissertation was directed by Dr. John Cotton of the School of Business Administration.

Between 1992 and 2000, Koonce played nine seasons in the National Football League, all but the last with the Green Bay Packers. (His final season was with the Seattle Seahawks.) The graduate of East Carolina University ran back two interceptions for touchdowns and made over 500 tackles during his NFL career. He was also a member of the 1996 and 1997 Packer teams, which played in Super Bowls XXX and XXXI.

During his graduate school years, Koonce was advised at different times by Marquette law professors Matt Mitten and Gordon Hylton.

A recent story on George Koonce from Milwaukee Magazine can be found at this link.

George Koonce’s recent guest column for the ESPN NFL Blog, entitled “Surviving Life after the NFL,” can be found here.

Continue ReadingFormer Packer Who Attended MULS Receives PhD Degree