David King: Tom Reyonlds' Spiritual Protege

I usually don't have much to say about Milwaukee-related isssues, but when I saw this today, I couldn't help but weigh in.

David King, who runs something called the Milwaukee God Squad, announced today that he's running for Wisconsin Sec. of State, a job he is in no danger of winning whatsoever. Yet his candidacy should provide the state with some amusement.

First, King was a willing participant in former state senator Tom Reynolds' ridiculous "Clean Sweep Wisconsin PAC," having received a paltry $75 from CSPAC when he ran as a Dem. There's not a whole lot one can do with $75, so accepting the money really is mostly about demonstrating one is on board with the donor's platform. In this case, that platform is kinda crooked ... and being run by crazy-ass Tom Reynolds.

Unlike his ill-fated attempt at a state assembly seat two years ago, King is running as a Republican, presumably a conservative one, yet he is running on a platform that includes expanding the responsibilities of the Sec. of State:

A Milwaukee minister who announced his candidacy for Wisconsin secretary of state says he is using former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice as his model.

Condoleeza Rice? Does he think he's going to be speaking at Davos when he gets elected? But it gets better: he wants to increase the scope and cost of government:

Republican David King says Tuesday that like Rice, the Wisconsin secretary of state should go into trouble areas and try to solve problems. King, who runs the nonprofit Milwaukee God Squad, says he wants to use the position to be a mediator and counsel children about drug abuse.

That makes more sense -- he wants to be a motivational speaker, and evidently the kind that rolls into high school gymnasiums and bores the living shit out of students. Well you don't need to hold public office to do that, though I imagine holding office sure does help when trying to book gigs (which seems to be the actual objective here, not public service).

I doubt this will be the last we hear from King. He's been making the rounds at the Tea Parties held around the state (and here, here, here, and here), so he should have a lot of fun selling his proposed increase in government to these folks.

Judging by his track record, King clearly craves attention. His appearances at the Tea Parties demonstrates a comfort with shallow public gestures, so I'd put money on seeing some kind of ill-advised publicity stunt from him in the future. At least King will make things interesting ... just like Tom Reynolds did not so long ago.