Should voters re-elect Ryan over Zerban?

By GREG PECK ( Contact )   Thursday, November 1, 2012 - 3:21 p.m.

The challenge of winning re-election to Congress for Janesville’s Paul Ryan on Tuesday is twofold: Ryan is seeking the vice presidency as part of Mitt Romney’s Republican ticket. Ryan also faces a serious Democratic congressional opponent in Kenosha’s Rob Zerban.

Ryan should be alarmed that Rock County Clerk Lori Stottler has heard from Republicans voting early who were convinced they couldn’t vote for Ryan in both spots. They mistakenly believed doing so would cancel their ballots. Or they thought some sort of conspiracy was at play; they errantly believed Ryan couldn’t possibly seek both offices in the same election. Our laws allow that, however.

Ryan has served in Congress 14 years. Does he again deserve the support of voters in 1st Congressional District race when he’s focused on helping Romney win the presidency?

We’ll share our perspectives in our endorsement editorial Friday.

Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook

reader COMMENTS
Click here to view reader comments
(25)
gpawcat
Nov 3, 2012 at 9:56 a.m.
Suggest removal

I went to Zerban's web site and a nice big picture of Paul Ryan.

Zerban is from Chicago, and says he will support the Progressives. No new ideas here.

yada
Nov 3, 2012 at 7:15 a.m.
Suggest removal

Not RYAN - Vote Zerban. Paul is telling us distorted facts and info.

"6 Worse Lies in Paul Ryan's Speech"

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/0...

NVgrf
Nov 3, 2012 at 1:05 a.m.
Suggest removal

Paulie obviously does not want to be in Wisconsin. Why would anyone vote for him?

BostonBill
Nov 2, 2012 at 8:32 p.m.
Suggest removal

I voted already for Rob Zerban.

I love this statement from Rock County Clerk Lori Stottler, "They mistakenly believed doing so would cancel their ballots. Or they thought some sort of conspiracy was at play".

That is hilarious. The repubs sure are a paranoid lot; or perhaps they are uninformed about a lot of things.

wortnik
Nov 2, 2012 at 7:27 p.m.
Suggest removal

I don't believe there is any coverup of benghazi. Just a rush to explain in this 24/7 news media on both spectrums.
Interesting to note that during George W bush's 8 years 11 US embassies were attacked with 53 dead and 90 injured. Any president does the best they can with the available field information, back seat quarterbacking is not productive.

I will support Ryan in the house , but not the white one.

56789
Nov 2, 2012 at 2:41 p.m.
Suggest removal

So that means Walker should have accepted the money for the high speed rail right? Call me crazy but people should stick with what they believe/campaign on. If you want to cut spending then cut spending. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Maynard
Nov 2, 2012 at 11:39 a.m.
Suggest removal

He wants to cut spending but accepted money for his district from the stimulus. Good for him. If you lose the battle and they pass this "not so shovel ready after all stimulus", he would not be doing his job if he did not try to get part of it to help his district. That would be cutting the noses off his constituents to spite the face.

poorrichard
Nov 2, 2012 at 11:34 a.m.
Suggest removal

Yes and Yes.

Maynard
Nov 2, 2012 at 9:54 a.m.
Suggest removal

usaret: I sadly think that the coverup of Benghazi will not affect the election. I think it should as I have stated elsewhere. However, Obama supporters will basically point to Iraq and Afganistan, say or think that the thousands of Americans killed or wounded there are all the fault of Bush, and so 4 people are no big deal. I do not know if Obama was part of the decision not to send help during those 7 hours. Nixon did not partake in the actual break-in of Watergate. However, I believe people in the Obama administration blew it on Sept 11,2012 and before and I firmly believe that the POTUS is involved in the coverup. And that he will ride it out through the election just like Nixon did. Only difference ... Watergate was theft of paperwork ... Benghazi was the loss of 4 Americans. However, I sadly do not think enough of the American people care enough because they are so polarized. They have to be too polarized to care if they put Obama back in for 4 more years after the failure of the last 4.

56789
Nov 2, 2012 at 7:43 a.m.
Suggest removal

No to reelecting Ryan. Ryan paints himself as a Washington outsider but in reality he is a career politician. Wants to cut government spending while requesting stimulus aid. He supports a tax code with loopholes that benefit the wealthiest Americans while the middle class is left to struggle to make ends meet. No Congressman Ryan, I will not be voting for you.

wasp2491
Nov 2, 2012 at 5:27 a.m.
Suggest removal

Why do I have the feeling the guv and his rapidly failing plans will be done before the unions? Things haven't been going to well for him lately and John Doe is still circling.

916WI
Nov 2, 2012 at 5:20 a.m.
Suggest removal

Janesvillecomments......we need to keep walker right where he is at. After he is done with the unions, he needs to set his sight on entitlement reform in this state.....

bigfatdaddytuna
Nov 2, 2012 at 3:57 a.m.
Suggest removal

I'm not sure who to vote for. I keep hearing how horrible our country is from the Republican ads. Should I keep the same politician thats been making it that bad locally?, or is it just the presidents fault?

janesvillecomments
Nov 2, 2012 at 12:25 a.m.
Suggest removal

It would be amusing if Ryan won both elections and gave up the Vice Presidency to retains his seat in Congress. Then Romney could nominate Dick Cheney, or Ron Paul, or Scott Walker as VP.

freedomfighter608
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:30 p.m.
Suggest removal

I will vote for Paul, because Zerban keeps calling our house, when we told him to stop calling and remove our name and phone number from his call list.

gray_ghost
Nov 1, 2012 at 9 p.m.
Suggest removal

14 years in congress, what has he done in those years, besides collect a paycheck and benefits? oh that's right, he is bringing thousands of jobs to janesville.

wislady
Nov 1, 2012 at 8:17 p.m.
Suggest removal

One of the few times we can caste a ballot TWICE for one person.

Vote Ryan for VP
Vote Ryan for Congress

"Ryan has served in Congress 14 years. Does he again deserve the support of voters in 1st Congressional District race when he’s focused on helping Romney win the presidency?"

If you are going to endorse, make the endorsement based on the kind of job the person would do.

TheAnswerIs42
Nov 1, 2012 at 7:20 p.m.
Suggest removal

Social Security problems? Remove the cap. Problem solved.

usaret
Nov 1, 2012 at 6:40 p.m.
Suggest removal

Maynard: How about the Nov surprise for Obama? It is call Benghazi. Things here aren't looking too good for good old President Obama.

Maynard
Nov 1, 2012 at 4:21 p.m.
Suggest removal

YES: then when Obama wins a 2nd term after the October Surprise of Sandy which has allowed him to look Presidential the last few days (not the last 4 years) .... at least we will still have someone in Congress brave enough to talk about Social Security and Medicare needing modifications to make them last. He has been one of very few to have that courage and has been crucified for it. Still remember when he came out with his plan and the POTUS invited him, in a show of "bi-partisanship" to a front row seat at a speech the next day and then proceeded to slam him. Very Petty of the POTUS and very Partisan. About as petty as trying to explain to Romney that airplanes land on carriers and submarines go under water and carry missles. I do not agree with parts of Ryan's plan but at least it was a document to begin with and then make compromises, modifications. At least we would still have that voice reminding us that time is running out to make corrections instead of more tax and spend.

Eagle1
Nov 1, 2012 at 3:41 p.m.
Suggest removal

Who cares, 6 of one or half dozen of the other, not much different when you look at actions over words.

mgcarguy
Nov 1, 2012 at 3:38 p.m.
Suggest removal

Probably a tough decision of which job to keep if he won in both. Hanging out with one or a bunch of them.

Before you post a comment, consider this:

Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy Agreement
  • Keep it clean. Comments that are obscene, vulgar or sexually oriented will be removed. Creative spelling of such terms or implied use of such language is banned, also.
  • Don't threaten to hurt or kill anyone.
  • Be nice. No racism, sexism or any other sort of -ism that degrades another person.
  • Harassing comments. If you are the subject of a harassing comment or personal attack by another user, do not respond in-kind.  Hit the "Suggest Removal" button on offensive comments.
  • Share what you know. Give us your eyewitness accounts, background, observations and history.
  • Do not libel anyone. Libel is writing something false about someone that damages that person's reputation.
  • Ask questions. What more do you want to know about the story?
  • Stay focused. Keep on the story's topic.
  • Help us get it right. If you spot a factual error or misspelling, email newsroom@gazettextra.com or call 1-800-362-6712.
  • Remember, this is our site. We set the rules, and we reserve the right to remove any comments that we deem inappropriate.

Post Comment

Commenting requires registration.

Username:
Password: (Forgotten your password?)

Comment:

ADVERTISEMENT