Could Sullivan be the next ‘Nobody’s senator but yours’?

In 1988, moderate millionaire businessman Herb Kohl of Milwaukee entered the U.S. Senate race late and ended up winning a seat he will hold for 24 years with the advertising theme, “Nobody’s senator but yours.”
In 2010, conservative millionaire businessman Ron Johnson of Oshkosh entered the U.S. Senate race and ended up beating incumbent Russ Feingold for a six-year term.
Could 2012 be the time for Tim Sullivan, the outgoing president of Oak Creek-based Bucyrus International Inc. who by the time of the company’s takeover by Caterpillar Inc. will be a multimillionaire?
Sullivan is confirming he’s interested in the race, but he isn’t saying what party he’d align with.
"I am flattered by the unsolicited support I have received over the past few days by those suggesting I consider running for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Kohl," Sullivan said on May 17, only a few days after Democrat Kohl announced he won’t seek re-election next year "At this point, I am committed to our shareholders and employees in closing the sale of Bucyrus International. When this deal is consummated in the near future, I will weigh all my options. I have a deep commitment to this community, and I look forward to being involved in the future challenges and opportunities at the local, state, and national level."
In February, Sullivan told WisPolitics that he considered himself an independent. He donated money to both Tom Barrett and Scott Walker in last year’s guv’s race.
At least one Milwaukee-area businessman is high on the possibility of Sullivan’s candidacy.
“Take note that our two sitting senators are businessmen, both with enough wealth to fund their own campaigns. Indeed, that’s why Ron Johnson got the GOP nomination; he had more funds than his Republican opponents, so the party’s establishment got behind an unknown. Money speaks volumes in today’s political game,” wrote writer and businessman John Torinus, who is chairman of Serigraph Inc.
“Sullivan would have the added charm of not being aligned with the far right wing of the Republican Party. He would have major appeal to independents, who are looking for problem solvers, not ideologues. The independent center makes up about 40 percent of the electorate, the swing bloc,” Torinus writes. “At 57, Sullivan has many options, including running another company. The headhunters will be on his doorstep. He is undoubtedly more suited to running an organization than being a member of the clubby U.S. Senate. But his people skills and his expertise on some of the country’s major challenge would make him a winner there, too. And he would be making a higher contribution to the country.”
Given the timetables established by Kohl and Johnson, Sullivan has some time to explore a bid.
– WisPolitics.com