GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It appears Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich won’t have to actively campaign this summer to keep his job.
David VanderLeest, the organizer of the recall campaign, tells FOX 11 the effort won’t have the necessary signatures to force a special election.
More than 9,700 Green Bay residents would have had to sign a petition. A 60-day window to get them ends on Monday.
“Not a huge shock,” said Genrich about the failed recall effort. “I don’t think there was a lot of support for that effort, but it really hasn’t been a focus of mine. Obviously, just have been focused on the business of the city.”
VanderLeest, who ran against Genrich for a State Assembly seat 10 years ago, held a recall kickoff event nearly two months ago. Het said issues with three of Green Bay’s elections in two years were the reasons why he felt Genrich should lose his job before his term is up next April.
VanderLeest hasn’t responded to FOX 11’s messages asking for a reason why enough signatures were not collected to force a recall election.
Brown County Republican Party Chair Jim Fitzgerald issued a statement when the recall campaign was launched that said, “The Republican Party of Brown County is aware of efforts to recall the Mayor of Green Bay. We do not support recall efforts, finding them to be ineffective, expensive, and divisive. Realizing members of our party may become involved, we as a party believe in the election process and look forward to evaluating the field of candidates which may emerge, and views they represent in the upcoming mayoral election a year from now, April of 2023.”
Genrich, a Democrat, tells FOX 11 he hasn’t made a decision yet on running for a second term.
“Still in the process of making that decision for myself and for my family and what the future holds, but really enjoying the role, enjoying working with our council, a bunch of new members that we’re continuing to orientate into the process of governing the city.” We’ve got a lot of time between now and April, so expect a decision in the coming months, but focused on the work right now.”
If recent history is any indicator, Genrich will have a battle on his hands if he runs again. For city council races this spring, a conservative political action committee from Illinois spent about $60,000 on an attack ad against Genrich. Four of the six council candidates the group supported won their races, while only one of five candidates backed by a liberal group from Washington D.C. won.
“Politics has always been a rough and tumble business,” said Genrich. “It’s been a little bit more so in that direction of late. Hopefully people focus on the issues and present a positive agenda for the city. That’s what I’ve always believed about in terms of how I operate in politics and how I’ve served the city. Hopefully that will be the case with whoever decides to step up and throw their hat in the ring.”
Green Bay’s mayor and city council positions are supposed to be nonpartisan.
In Wisconsin, outside political groups can financially support candidates without their consent. Those were the type of contributions made in the council races this past spring.
A primary for the mayor’s race would be February 21st.
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