So, what’s the best thing about all of the excitement in Madison, Wisconsin? Well, besides the vague hope that this may turn out to be the beginning of a nationwide populist progressive movement, the best thing has to be Randy Hopper. He is one of the Republican State Senators who is now facing a recall effort, thanks to his support for Scott Walker’s union-busting bill.

Apparently some protesters went to his home, and when his wife answered the door, she informed them that he no longer lived there. He now lives in Madison (outside his district, btw) with his 25-year-old mistress, who is, predictably, a former senate staffer, and, even more predictably, a lobbyist employed by the right-wing Persuasion Partners.

Here is a screenshot grabbed from the Persuasion Partners website before they scrubbed it of any mention of Valerie Cass. Apparently, according to Persuasion Partners, Cass is “no longer there.”

Rumor is that Hopper’s maid has already signed the recall petition against Hopper, and that his soon-to-be ex-wife intends to do so.

This is just the latest instance in which the Parable of the Snake applies to Wisconsin politics. In the 2010 gubernatorial election in Wisconsin, 37% of union households voted for Walker. At some level, you have to say, “you knew he was a snake when you picked him up.” Similarly, Wisconsin, you elected a guy to the state senate whose name is “Randy Hopper.” Of course he ran off with a 25-year-old staffer. It’s like Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter books. His name was “Remus Lupin,” so of course he got bitten by a werewolf.

In a way, perhaps Randy Hopper is an unwitting victim of destiny.

Or perhaps he is simply another instantiation of the tiresome political trope of the lecherous, middle-aged man who is given a modicum of power and wastes no time in abusing it.

Hard to say.

Note: the Blogging Blue site I’ve linked to above has not been loading. Here is the link for the cached site, and other coverage can be found here and here.