Tuesday, June 5, 2012
11:49 PM
Moulton hopes "time will heal" division; says he'll try to get know colleagues across aisle
While GOP Sen. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, has not yet gotten a concession call from Dem challenger Kristen Dexter, he is "overwhelmed and overjoyed" by the margin of victory. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Moulton had a 56 to 44 percent lead over Dexter.
"I’m humbled that the voters are going to allow me to stay in office and complete my term," Moulton said.
Moulton said that he thinks the margin of victory is not only attributable to support for GOP policies, but for dissatisfaction with the recall process, which he says has gotten out of control. However, he wasn't sure if the Senate would move to take up a bill by Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, that would curtail the provision.
"I think the process does need to be changed," Moulton said. "But how that will look or what will change in the next session, I’m not sure."
Moulton said the one thing he'll do when he returns to the Senate is try to spend more time getting to know Democrats across the aisle "socially." He said that much of the divide caused between GOP and Dem senators has been because there is no personal connection between them.
"One thing that has always disgusted me is when people talk on the floor and personally attack somebody and try to rip somebody’s head off," Moulton said. "It's easier to talk together than do these personal attacks."
While both Gov. Scott Walker and GOP Senate Leader Scott Fitzgerald had hinted at possibly coming back to the floor before November to discuss mining and venture capital legislation, Moulton said he doesn't believe that will happen. He also noted, however, that he's not in a leadership position and so there may be other plans.
-- By Jason Smathers
Labels: 2012_recall_elections
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