O'Neil concedes defeat in 47th
By Jason Maddux, Capital Newspapers
Trish O'Neil, down 23 votes after a weeklong recount in the 47th Assembly District race, will not challenge the results in court and has conceded to opponent Keith Ripp.
"If I felt there was a better-than-even chance I might be able to prevail, I might have. Nobody can guarantee me anything. It's time to be done," she said Sunday.
Ripp said he's ready to start learning on the job after he takes his seat in January.
"We both worked hard to get our message out during the campaign. I felt it was going to be a close race. I didn't think it would be this close," Ripp said, adding that he will start interviews for a staff member, among other preparations.
Jim Smith, executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee, said Friday that the O'Neil campaign had questions about 51 ballots allowed districtwide during the recount. The concerns centered on what the campaign considered irregularities in deciding whether absentee ballots should be allowed or rejected, and possible differences in the way this decision was made among the three counties in the district.
"It's politics. Life goes on. It's fine," O'Neil said.
The initial tally after the Nov. 4 election had Ripp winning by 28 votes out of more than 32,500 cast - about 0.09 percent, which allowed O'Neil a recount at no cost.
In the recounts, Ripp lost two votes in Columbia County, but O'Neil lost four, the board of canvass decided Friday. In Dane County's recount, which ended Thursday, O'Neil gained 26 votes, while Ripp gained 18. There are 14 precincts in Dane County that are part of the district. In Sauk County's recount from two precincts, O'Neil lost one vote.
Democrat O'Neil said she talked to her Republican opponent over the weekend.
"I wished him well and congratulated him. I hope that we can count on him to keep campaign promises," she said, especially in education funding reform, where he "seemed to come around on that idea."
Ripp said that issue will take the efforts of all legislators.
"There's declining enrollment in some schools ... they're being hit the hardest," he said.
Ripp said the economy is obviously the No. 1 issue.
"We need to look at ways to do something to stimulate jobs. Dealing with the budget is going to consume most of our time. The number keeps getting bigger and bigger," he said.
O'Neil also said she hopes to see reform of campaign financing, especially in the area of third-party advertising. Those groups do not have to disclose where their funding comes from.
The out-of-state group All Children Matter attacked O'Neil during the campaign. The Wisconsin Education Association Council political action committee ran ads critical of Ripp. O'Neil said there is a big difference in the groups because voters know where WEAC money is coming from.
She said it's too early to tell whether she'll run again.
"I don't think anybody really can appreciate the type of work it takes to run a campaign. It's no wonder it's hard to find candidates to run. It's a huge effort and a lot of money. To ask your volunteers to do the kind of work they do, it's a huge thing," she said.
The best part of the campaign, she added, was going door to door and "getting to know everyday people who live in the district."
Ripp agreed with how much effort the campaign took.
"Going into it, I knew it was going to be a lot of work, and it was a lot of work. It won't get any easier in this district," he said.
Ripp said he's had informal conversations with Rep. Eugene Hahn, R-Cambria, who did not seek a 10th term.
"All along, my mind-set was to represent the district. That's my goal," Ripp said.
O'Neil, 56, is a nurse and former Columbus School Board president. Ripp, 46, is a town of Dane supervisor and president of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board.
The 47th Assembly District in Sauk County includes the village and town of Merrimac, as well as the town of West Point and much of Columbia County and the town of Roxbury and much of Dane County.
Recent related articles:
Nov. 19: 47th Assembly recount could end up in court
Nov. 11: O'Neil to file for recount after canvass in 47th District
Nov. 6: O'Neil plans to seek recount
Nov. 5: ELECTION RESULTS: Local and national races
Oct. 15: 47th Assembly candidates spar at Lodi forum