Republicans "went right for the jugular" when they chose this state as the place to demonize public employees, destroy the right to vote and abuse the budget process that will continue this week, former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold told supporters Sunday evening near the Capitol Square.
"Why are we in a place called Walkerville today?" he asked the energized crowd at the corner of State and West Mifflin streets, amid the tent village that sprang up earlier this month to protest the state budget bill and will remain through June 20 while lawmakers debate the bill.
"Because we will not stop until we win."
Feingold, who lost his seat in November to Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson, outlined necessary actions for the near future: taking back the majority in the state Senate and Assembly, and — drawing big applause — defeating Gov. Scott Walker, who he called a tool of the Republican party.
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During the speech, chants of "run, Russ, run," could be heard, but Feingold didn't mention his own political future.
He is currently teaching at Marquette University, writing a book and leading a political action group.
"I got the feeling he'd like to run for governor," Bob Bergman, a machine operator from Oshkosh, said after the speech.
Bergman, who spent his first night in Walkerville on Saturday and plans to return to Madison this week to continue the camp-out, said Feingold touched on the right things during his speech and accurately portrayed the state's political climate.
Susan Cohen, a teacher at Cherokee Middle School, said Feingold's visit helped keep energy levels high because "it's been a really long time since February," when she spent one night in the Capitol.
Cohen said she's taken students through the building many times and even got married there 15 years ago, but walking through it now after sleeping there, she said, "it feels like I own it."
