GOP rivals exchange barbs leading up to state convention

GOP gubernatorial rivals Mark Neumann and Scott Walker are approaching the state GOP convention slinging mud.
Neumann got in the first dig, pointing to Walker’s public calendars that show the Milwaukee County executive has taken an average of 17 hours a week of “personal time” between January 2009 and February of this year. Neumann’s campaign said that’s the equivalent of 128 vacation days and accused Walker of working part-time as county executive while he runs for governor.
Walker fired back at Neumann, accusing him of “selective amnesia” for forgetting that he missed votes while in the House to go hunting with his son and was accused of paying for campaign ads with taxpayer money. Walker campaign manager Keith Gilkes called Neumann “the ultimate hypocrite.”
Neumann also jumped on a complaint filed by a Milwaukee County supervisor asking for an investigation into a former Walker aide who used to post political comments on media Web sites while working on county time.
Neumann stressed he had nothing to do with the complaint filed by Supervisor John Weishan. Still, Neumann said Walker should reimburse taxpayers for the time former aide Darlene Wink spent posting comments. Wink resigned her post after her activities came to light.
Meanwhile, Neumann criticized Walker for flip-flopping on his opinion about the Arizona illegal immigration law.
Neumann said he will not seek the state GOP’s official endorsement, which is expected to go to Walker.
See coverage of this weekend’s convention at www.wispolitics.com.
– WisPolitics.com