It’s trouble in paradise for State Senator Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) as State Assembly Representative Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) is eyeing a primary run against the quirky Senator.

Previously, Vukmir had balked at a run but Reynolds is insisting on adding unrelated policy issues to a deal reached on expanding school choice which was brokered by Governor Jim Doyle (D) and State Assembly Leader John Gard (R).

Vukmir is steamed and says that if Reynolds shenanigans result in killing the deal, she’ll take him out in a primary this fall.

Reynolds backers Bob Dohnal and JJ Blonien (Blonien also works for Reynolds part-time) of the Wisconsin Conservative Digest are throwing out a warning to Vukmir that she will be crushed and in very undiplomatic terms alluding that it would be a nasty campaign.

We were surprised that Vukmir even threatened to throw her hat in the race against Reynolds because she had previously said she would back off and not run. But although we were surprised, we’re not shocked seeing as how Vukmir came from a background as a private schools with public funds advocate for choice even before being elected. So we can see how, as part of her core beliefs, that she believes Reynolds is making the wrong decision.

Now that Vukmir has thrown down the gauntlet, expect Reynolds to balk. Reynolds has never been one to compromise and his quirky approach to governing has gained the attention of the mainstream media.

If there is a Reynolds-Vukmir primary, expect to hear of Vukmir’s recent divorce to come up. Dohnal has a reputation as being one angry dude and an interview with him on Wisconsin Public Radio just a few months ago showed he’s relentless and mean spirited. It is safe to say that they’ll be appealing to Republican family values voters by simply pointing out that a divorced Tosa mom is taking on West Allis family man. Put in those simple terms, the evangelical vote will be sewn up for Reynolds.

It would be a very different primary than most. Hard core conservatives have a tendency to stick with the strongest neo-con possible and in most elections, moderates choose to pick the more moderate of the two candidates. But in Wisconsin, if you are voting on one side of the partisan ballot, you can’t cross over to vote for your pick on the other side. With a hotly contested election for the Republican pick for Governor, Republican voters want to have their say as to whether Congressman Mark Green or Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will have an opportunity to go up against Democratic Governor Jim Doyle. This assures that the more conservative base will not be crossing over to vote in any Democratic primaries on the ballot.

On the Dem side, Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager faces stiff competition from Dane County Exec Kathleen Falk which assures that Democratic-leaning voters will stay with voting exclusively in the Dem primary. Democrats are concerned that Lautenschlager would get whomped by whoever the Republicans nominate for their pick for AG because of Lautenschlager’s televised bust for drunk driving. Republicans hammered Launtenschlager whose job it is to uphold the law. The hypocricy of Lautenschlager’s driving a state vehicle while drunk and at the same time being Wisconsin’s top cop got wide media attention and since the State trooper has her night-time pullover on tape, it is assured to make it to all of the anti-Lautenschlager commercials.

All of this adds up to Vukmir not getting the help of much Dem crossover voters in her primary.

If there is a Reynolds-Vukmir primary, the winner would earn the right to take on Wauwatosa Alderman Jim Sullivan who appears to have sewn up the nomination by garnering nearly every traditional Democratic endorsement out there.

UPDATE: We wrote this yesterday to be edited today. It has since passed the legislature. Reynolds wasn’t the big obstructionist Vukmir feared so she’ll likely not run… at least that’s what she was saying.