Madison NORML

Wisconsin State Journal columnist Melanie Conklin broke the news in her January 6, 2007 column, “Doyle's graceful inaugural dance,”

While most partygoers reveled in moment, at least one looked toward a future race. Asking Ben Masel, the well-known marijuana law reform advocate, if he was on hand to celebrate Doyle's re-election, he commented, "I'm here to work the crowd." Masel, who recently became a grandfather, explained, "I've filed to run for the Senate in 2012. I think this is the earliest on record."

Born in 1935, Kohl was first elected to the Senate in 1988 and re-elected to a fourth six-year term in 2006, after defeating Masel in the primary. In 2012, Kohl will be celebrating his 77th birthday on Feb. 7 of that year, although he already seems much older than that. Strangely, Kohl remains one of the most popular elected officials in Wisconsin, despite his lack of listening sessions or other interaction with constituents, as well as votes for things like the war in Iraq, PATRIOT Act and the bankruptcy bill. Still, Masel was able to gain 15% of the vote by spending less than $900 in one-dollar contributions. His total in the Democratic primary was 10,000 more than his Green Party colleague, Rae Vogeler, got in the general election in November. Masel’s entry into the 2012 race should mean it will be interesting!