A page titled Draft Mahlon Mitchell for Wisconsin Governor appeared on Facebook Friday night, the first significant sign of a grassroots effort to propel the Madison firefighter and labor leader into the Democratic primary for governor.
Mitchell, the youngest president in the history of the Firefighters Local 311, was vaulted to prominence as a leader of the 2011 and 2012 protests against Act 10, which stripped collective bargaining rights from most public employees. He won the Democratic Party’s nomination for Lieutenant Governor in the 2012 recall of Governor Scott Walker, running alongside Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
As of Sunday, the page had just 102 likes, but a video posted Friday by Glendale alderwoman Tomika Gray-Vukovic and shared to the draft page had been viewed 66,000 times. The video shows Mitchell’s address to the 2017 Democratic Party of Wisconsin and opens with the text “I want this guy to run for governor!”
Mitchell declined to comment Sunday afternoon. A message sent to the Facebook page was not immediately returned.
If he were to run, Mitchell would be the first person of color to declare a candidacy. Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik, State Representative Dana Wachs and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers have all announced campaigns. State Senator Kathleen Vinehout has also filed papers to run. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and progressive activist Mike McCabe have also said they are considering a run.
Incumbent Governor Scott Walker has said he will run for a third term.
