Let the games begin.
State Attorney General Jim Doyle will face off against Gov. Scott McCallum tonight in the first of a series of debates between the Republican and Democratic candidates for Governor.
Both candidates appear ready to tackle the issues on the minds of potential voters during the forum, which is sponsored by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and will be televised statewide at 8 p.m.
\This is certainly a perfect opportunity to see the real difference between the two candidates and their presentations of ideas,"" said Debbie Monterey-Millet, communications director for the McCallum campaign.
A main contrast between the campaigns, which the Doyle camp hopes to highlight, is McCallum's lack of a concrete plan for the future.
""The difference is Doyle has released a 63-page book that outlines ... his vision for Wisconsin,"" Jessica Erickson, a spokesperson for the Doyle campaign, said. ""To date, McCallum has offered no plan, no vision, just failed leadership.""
Monterey-Millet said McCallum does indeed possess a map for Wisconsin's future and will reveal more of it during the course of the debates.
""The governor has been very clear with the direction he wants to take Wisconsin and shown that very clearly in the last almost two years in office,"" she said. ""The governor has a very positive message to get to there and a lot of that really hasn't gotten out yet.""
The two campaigns are currently focused on ads to get their message out, according to UW-Madison political science Professor Dennis Dresang, who said he hoped the debates will offer a welcome change of pace.
""Thus far the campaigns have gotten their message out through television ads which have really focused on telling us why we shouldn't vote for the other person,"" he said, adding that it will be hard for them to continue that style in a debate. ""A debate is structured more to illicit what they stand for and why we should vote for them.""
Thursday the two candidates agreed to two additional debates later in the year, bringing the total number of appearances together to five, despite Doyle's refusal to participate in Wisconsin Public Television's ""We the People"" debate.
""In the last 20 years there have not been more than two general election debates, so this is a healthy number,"" said Bill Christofferson, Doyle's campaign director, in a statement.
However, most of these debates, including tonight's, will not include Libertarian Ed Thompson or Green Party candidate Jim Young. Thompson filed a complaint with the state's Ethics Committee, arguing that his exclusion from the debates constitutes an illegal campaign contribution to both McCallum and Doyle by the sponsors. The Ethics Board said it would hear the case at a later date.
Dresang said he believed it should be left up to the sponsors to decide who should appear at what events.
""There's the issue of where do you have the cut off and who is really a serious candidate,"" he said. ""I don't think Ed Thompson or Jim Young have shown enough support...to be consider a serious alternative.\
