Why Kagen Lost

My bold:

What went wrong for Steve Kagen in 2010? | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

In his concession speech Tuesday, Kagen told about 40 campaign volunteers and supporters gathered at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton that corporations had no constitutional rights.

He had more to say after he left the stage and thanked supporters who huddled around him. He railed against the influence of corporate money in politics and called for a push back against its involvement in elections and government.

Millions of dollars from these groups — many of which do not disclose their donors — flowed into the state, including $2.6 million in the 8th District.

No one questions that kind of cash played a role in the outcome, but there's no guarantee Tuesday's results in Northeastern Wisconsin would have been different had outside groups stayed out. Kagen's campaign, for instance, slightly edged Ribble's in the support it received from outside groups in the final stretch.

Another explanation for his loss might be that voters were simply tired of excuses.  Particularly ones that don't quite seem to make sense given the actual facts.