Fairly Conservative

It probably didn’t surprise Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner. The Journal Sentinel endorsed opponent Bryan Kennedy two years ago. And today they endorsed Sensenbrenner’s Republican opponent, Prof. Jim Burkee to become the Wisconsin Fifth Congressional District representative.

This is a mixed blessing for Burkee. A Journal Sentinel endorsement against a proven conservative usually doesn’t win one any brownie points with the right.

Here are their main points:

Burkee is a fiscal hawk.

He feels tax cuts should follow spending cuts, not the reverse.

Burkee also has talked of a “comprehensive” approach to energy rather than the sort of grandstanding of many who simply call for drilling for oil.

Burkee also favors a third way between protectionism and a no-holds-barred approach which he refers to as “balanced trade.”

Their objection to Sensenbrenner is the same as 2 years earlier: too often he is a roadblock in Congress, especially on immigration. But in a statement one might look at with a jaundiced eye the “editorial board” says,

But our support for Burkee has more to do with the strength of his ideas than with our past disagreements with the incumbent.

The Journal Sentinel’s disagreements with Sensenbrenner are many and varied.

So will the endorsement help or hinder Burkee. Or does anyone care?

(Cross posted at Musings of a Thoughtful Conservative).