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Gun proposal spurs election bid

Just four weeks before the November election, the proposal to allow teachers to carry guns in schools by Rep. Frank Lasee, R-Bellevue, motivated one man to run against him as a write-in candidate.

In the wake of recent school shootings — including the fatal shooting of a principal in Cazenovia Sept. 29 — Lasee proposed legislation last week that would allow trained teachers and school staff to carry guns in schools. According to Lasee, the guns would be stored in secured locations and only accessible by trained staff.

Lasee added the legislation could provide school personnel with a "last line of defense" to disarm attackers and protect children.

But Manitowoc County Supervisor Robert Dobbs said he is skeptical of Lasee's proposal. Dobbs also said he is so opposed to concealed weapons in schools that he entered the race on Sunday as a write-in candidate for the 2nd Assembly District to challenge Lasee.

Dobbs, also a Republican, said Lasee's proposal is "over the top," adding there are less extreme options that assist schools in becoming more secure, such as enforcing building security, increasing police presence and training teachers.

Yet Lasee said Dobbs has "yet to prove" he is a serious candidate because he has not addressed other issues that matter to voters.

Dobbs has already received endorsements from Manitowoc County Sheriff Ken Petersen and former Wisconsin Secretary of State Vel Phillips. Dobbs said he is working everyday to collect more endorsements and to share his views.

Nevertheless, University of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin said Dobbs' chance of winning is not good.

"There have been extremely rare cases where write-in candidates were successful," Franklin said.

Franklin added he could see Lasee's proposal helping a challenger to win a primary election, but not a general election. Franklin also said it would be difficult for Dobbs to win the general election because his name will not appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Regardless, Dobbs said he is optimistic about the upcoming election.

Despite criticism, Lasee said he doesn't regret proposing the controversial legislation even though it introduced an election challenger, saying it is "drawing more ideas." He added he hopes to eventually discuss the proposal with Dobbs.

But Lasee said another reason he originally proposed the legislation was to generate discussion.

"I didn't know it'd be this big of a deal," he said. "[But] I knew it'd draw a controversy."

And other state leaders are siding against the proposal, as well. Gubernatorial candidates U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., and Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle both criticized Lasee's proposal at their debate in Milwaukee Friday, and both said it would not work to increase school safety.

Over the weekend, Lasee appeared on a number of radio shows and national television news programs such as CNN's "American Morning," MSNBC's "News Live" and ABC's "Good Morning America" to discuss his proposal. The idea has caught criticism but also some support.

"As people get past the breathless emotions," he said, "they'll begin to believe it's reasonable."