The defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidates maintained a united front following the primary Tuesday night, as they shifted focus from beating each other to supporting state Attorney General Jim Doyle's quest of unseating Republican incumbent Gov. Scott McCallum.
U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, D-Milwaukee garnered 35 percent of the vote, just 3 percent behind Doyle, while Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk received 27 percent; with 99 percent reporting.
\We're very proud of the race we ran. What we left knowing is that Wisconsin has a bright future ahead and we're moving forward,"" said Barrett's Communications Director, Brigid O'Brien.
Barrett's supporters showed enthusiasm for the Democratic party as a whole. Several people present at the Barrett election party in Madison agreed that all of the Democratic candidates were good choices.
""We have three well-qualified candidates. I could support all three,"" said Mike Haak, who has served on a steering committee for Barrett in the Fox Valley.
Like many of Barrett's supporters, a lot of Falk's backers said they favored any Democratic candidate rather than McCallum.
""As a Democrat, I will get behind whoever will take on Scott McCallum,"" said College Democrats Secretary Lissa Koop, a UW-Madison senior.
Another Falk advocate, Chair of the College Democrats, Steve Singh, said he was disappointed in Falk's loss, but will in the end support Doyle.
""I'll wake up tomorrow and be ready to vote for Jim Doyle,"" said Singh, a UW-Madison senior.
Doug Calvert, a International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union member said was disappointed that all three candidates had to run for the same office.
""I wish we could spread them out a bit,"" he said.
Some supporters, like UW Law Student Andy Schauer, said he favored Barrett especially because he believes Barrett would have been the best candidate to beat McCallum state-wide.
""He's the most energetic and has the most statewide grass- roots organizations,"" Schauer said, but added he was optimistic in general about the general election. ""I think the numbers will show he'll pull through.""
However Schauer also said he supported the whole party. ""Our differences are slight. Our differences with Republicans are huge,"" he said.
Many of Falk's supporters praised her for coming out so strongly in a race against two men.
""It would be nice to have a woman governor, but being a woman is not sufficient. Kathleen is the kind of woman who brings the ability to lead,"" Madison school board member Carol Carstensen, said.
Falk's strongest support came from Dane County, where she grabbed 50 percent of the votes, with 188 out of 194 wards reporting. Falk offered no speculation as to why she lost the overall race.
""We'll leave it to the political pundits to decide why the race turned out like it did,"" she said.
