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A statement today from John Gard (HT: Sykes):

“Today, I’ve taken the first steps towards gathering the resources I’ll need to run a winning campaign to represent the 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. I believe the people of Northeast Wisconsin deserve a congressman who will look out for the best interests of our hard-working families and fight for our Wisconsin values.

“Steve Kagen and I have some very real differences on some of the most important issues facing our country.

“Since his election to Congress, Steve Kagen voted for a budget that would pave the way for the largest tax increases in American history. I believe families are seeing too much of their paychecks taken up in taxes. I would have voted differently.

“Steve Kagen voted to spend Social Security dollars on other government programs. I believe Social Security dollars should be spent on Social Security only. I would have voted differently.

“Steve Kagen voted against fully funding the construction of a fence to guard our borders, and he voted to allow illegal immigrants to have access to federal housing assistance funds. I believe we should stop rewarding illegal behavior and start protecting our borders – immediately. I would have voted differently.

“I think it is also telling that 75% of Steve Kagen’s campaign contributions are from Washington, D.C. special interest groups. It certainly shows where the bulk of Congressman Kagen’s support lies.

“I’ll make a final decision later this year, but Cate and I are looking forward to traveling Northeast Wisconsin to talk about how we can build a better and brighter future for all of our families.”

I am hopeful that this tone of contrast, that focuses on Kagen’s record in Congress, continues. In 2006, we were stuck with nasty, personal ads talking about whether he took Medicare patients or whether he ever hired an attorney. Now that we have a year of votes in Congress, Gard’s campaign can do the simple, classic: He voted this way. I would vote the other way. Which way would you vote?

UPDATE: Minutes after posting this, I received an email “Gard Gazette” with the statement. The bottom italics paragraph gives the campaign’s brief Gard biography: “John Gard represented Marinette, Brown and Oconto Counties in the State Assembly from 1987-2006. Gard was the architect of Wisconsin’s groundbreaking welfare reform initiative, and he helped pass the largest property tax cut in state history. Gard and his wife Cate live in Suamico. They have two children.”

UPDATE II: I see the release now on Wispolitics and also they’ve got a very good story with reaction from Lassee, Wieckert, Jadin, and NRCC. Lassee would be Terri McCormick all over again. Wieckert and Jadin would both be more serious candidates, and Wieckert specifically discounted the role of the state and national Republican establishment in designating the candidate. None the less, the NRCC has its man: “John Gard is a battle-tested candidate and a proven leader who we believe has what it takes to defeat Steve Kagen,” NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said.

The release has Mark Graul as the contact person - Graul is the grand poo-bah of Wisconsin GOP strategists… he managed Green’s successful upset of Jay Johnson in 1998, his subsequent reelects in the 8th, the 2004 Bush campaign in Wisconsin, Green’s failed 2006 gubernatorial effort, and the successful 2007 judicial election of Annette Ziegler to the WI Supreme Court.

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