U.S. Senators Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Herb Kohl, D-Wis., are among the most liberal in the country, according to a 2004 Vote Ratings survey conducted by the non-partisan organization National Journal.
The compiled ratings judge how senators voted on key issues during 2004.
According to the survey, Feingold is more liberal than 82.8 percent of the U.S. Senate and Kohl is more liberal than 83.7 percent of the Senate, putting both senators in the top 20 percent in the country.
The study also showed four U.S. Representatives from Wisconsin are viewed as liberal and four are viewed as conservative.
UW-Madison sophomore Nate Harkins, who identifies himself as a conservative, said the liberal senators are an indicator of the pull urban areas have in voting influence in Wisconsin.
\The denser populations have the most weight, and so we're represented by people who are more liberal,"" he said.
UW-Madison professor of Journalism Dhavan Shah said Wisconsin has long been known for its progressive political tradition.
""If senators are on the leading edge of social reform and social policy that's not exactly a new place for Wisconsin,"" he said.
UW-Madison senior Nate Schwantes said that the progressive political leadership is what he admires so much in Wisconsin's U.S. Senators.
""I like it when a senator uses his brain instead of his rhetoric,"" he said. ""Liberal is a skewed word for independent, and Feingold is sometimes seen as this because he is often outspoken and radical.""
Both Harkins and Schwantes said they feel the independent actions taken by both senators allow them to appeal to more Wisconsin citizens.
""In swing states people tend to listen more for what the candidates stand for,"" Harkins said. ""If someone is independent, voters are more likely to look at what he stands for even if he's not from their party.""
Professor Shah said although the senators are both Democrats, their unfettered views define them as otherwise.
""The liberal candidates are seen as independent because they define themselves not as bowing to party wishes but go off into areas of interest, and they do that in line with the concerns and interests of their constituents,"" he said.
College Democrats president Liz Sanger said she is happy to hear Wisconsin's senators and some U.S. Representatives are considered some of the most liberal in the nation.
""It's great we have people in U.S. Congress who fight for the issues of students,"" she said. ""We have a great university system that we need to protect at all costs.""
Although Wisconsin is represented by a number of liberal members on the federal level, the state Senate and state Assembly are strongly dominated by conservatives.
A contributing factor to this is voting for the state Legislature is based on land area and not population.
Harkins said he sees this as a positive thing because it is similar to the way U.S. Senators are elected.
""Wisconsin has two U.S. Senators that are elected based on popular vote,"" he said. ""The way they work out the districts in the state is by land area. It doesn't matter how many people live in a region; they all will have equal state representation.""
Schwantes disagrees and said this system is unfair.
""The gerrymandering in this state and every state is awful,"" he said.
