Genisio and Feingold
US Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) (right) was in Oshkosh on October 4th, 2002 to endorse Democrat James Genisio (left) for District 54 State Assembly. Feingold told the large audience of Genisio supporters that he was motivated to come to Oshkosh to endorse Genisio personally after hearing about him from his friends Paul Simon (former Illinois Senator) and current Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. To a roar of laughter, Feingold said to Genisio: "you have more friends in the Senate than I do!" Genisio told the audience that he is a "traditional Democrat" whose "boyhood hero" was Harry Truman. He said that in order to beat incumbent Republican Gregg Underheim, he would need the active support of everyone present.