Politics
What’s La Crosse Mayor Kabat’s strategy in running — or not — for a 3rd term?
One election is over, but another is right around the corner.
The April 6 election is one La Crosse will be very interested in, as the city will pick its mayor.
And, the city is still waiting for Mayor Tim Kabat to announce whether he’s running again.
UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, had a few theories on where Kabat’s at.
One of those blames — or celebrates, depending on your support — La Crosse Talk PM for Kabat not running for a third term, given that the mayor comes on the show at least once a month and answers any question callers throw at him.
“Maybe he just doesn’t run for mayor and bows out as a way of getting out of doing your show,” Chergosky joked on the show Friday.
On a more serious note, Chergosky had another theory as to why Kabat hasn’t announced yet — if he is, in fact, running.
“It’s hard to say at this point because we are getting down to the wire in terms of when someone would announce their run,” Chergosky said. “But I do think that he can afford to wait because there is only one other candidate in the field at the moment.
“So, he could certainly wait this thing out, just given the lack of activity in the field.”
City council member Jessica Olson is the only person to announce their candidacy, and she did so with some hesitation.
“It doesn’t have to be me,” Olson said back in late September on La Crosse Talk PM. “There’s a couple of people who I’ve heard rumors about — one of them I’ve even spoken to.
“I think there’s a few people who would make a great mayor for our city, and if any of those people decide to run and they make a public announcement, I’m very willing to step back and support taht person.”
Kabat said last week on La Crosse Talk PM he’d be making a final decision in the next few weeks.
He would be running for his third term. He ran unopposed in 2017.
Also discussed on Friday’s La Crosse Talk PM, is whether Congressman Ron Kind would be retiring, why Gov. Tony Evers isn’t the greatest messenger to unite the state around a COVID-19 strategy, as well as the Donald Trump saga.