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Latest News from Wisconsin & Illinois
Tommy Thompson and the "Sturgis Factor"
Posted on Aug 27, 2009
Posted 6/21/2007
His campaign has very little money, his polling numbers are... well, let's just say they are sub-par, and he is not exactly the darling of national media. Yet there is an almost religious like fervor among his supporters that makes former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson's presidential candidacy hard to dismiss.
Governor Thompson is a motorcycle rider. Not a photo op or Saturday afternoon parade rider, but a real motorcyclist who takes thousand mile plus trips. He has won much respect from Wisconsin bikers for his time in the saddle and they regard him as one of their own.
In writing about Governor Thompson's campaign strategy in the Washington Post, columnist George Will described something called the "Sturgis Factor." The "Sturgis Factor", as defined by Mr. Will, is the possibility of a large number of motorcyclists returning home from the annual motorcycle rally and participating in the straw poll. Could this politically hard to define voting block turn from the current front running juggernauts and cast their lot with a fellow rider such as Mr. Thompson?
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (more specifically MRFPAC) is not endorsing a candidate in the Iowa straw poll. We are encouraging involvement however. A group of riders has formed "Team Tommy" to support the governor's campaign. Team Tommy counts among its members the founder of ABATE of Wisconsin. They are planning a ride on August 10 in Ames to support the governor's efforts which will coincide with the Iowa straw poll. Non-Iowa residents will be welcome to participate in the parade. Check out Team Tommy's web site at http://www.teamtommy.org/ and consider supporting a fellow rider.
Best of luck to our good friend, Governor Tommy Thompson.
