This story ran 3/26/2012 on Dane101.com

The Americans For Prosperity-funded summit has a stated aim of firing up and educating conservative activists. The word “grassroots” appeared in most of the panel descriptions. Speeches frequently mocked or attacked President Barack Obama, solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, gas prices, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Falk, the concept of a Republican “war on women,” the city of Madison, and liberals in general.

As AFPW director Luke Hilgemann said at the opening, Wisconsin is a battleground this year, “ground zero in defending the American dream,” following a year of protests and recall efforts that have made the state’s politics symbolically significant to the national movement.

“Wisconsin may be the turning point in this race,” said Rick Santorum, who according to a recent Rasmussen poll might have lost his previous lead in Wisconsin over Mitt Romney. In a lunchtime speech he was all stump, calling himself “the true conservative” in comparison to Romney, and the only one who could beat Obama in swing states like Wisconsin. A moderate like Romney, he said, would never make it…

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