Nation’s eyes on Wis. Gov. race

With 70 days until the election for Wisconsin's next governor, the campaigns of U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., and incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle, are intensifying. Both candidates have turned to national figures in their respective parties to inspire voter confidence at the polls, with former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani supporting Green and former U.S. President Bill Clinton backing Doyle. Luke Punzenberger, press secretary for Mark Green, said the presence of national figures in this race proves the nation cares about the outcome of the election and has confidence in Mark Green. However, state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, disagrees with rhetoric connecting this fall's gubernatorial election to the presidential election looming in the background. Black said even though Wisconsin is a contested state, the national impact of what party the governor belongs to will be very minimal. According to Bob Delaporte, communications director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, electing Green is not only a priority of the Republican party in Wisconsin, but also throughout the rest of the United States. ""Doyle has been called the most venerable Democrat, not just by Republicans. Democrats have said that too,"" Delaporte said. Regardless of the outcome of the election, Delaporte said the party's goal would remain the same: to elect as many Republicans as possible. ""We have a real good chance of taking back the governor's mansion and getting the Attorney General's office, and I have no doubt that we will retain the Assembly and little doubt that we won't keep the Senate,"" Delaporte said. Charles Franklin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor, said both parties realize there is a possibility the governorship could change hands, which captures the attention of national politicians. ""Guiliani is a much more moderate Republican that helps not with the base of Republican voters, but it might help among Independents or conservative Independents,"" Franklin said. ""Clinton's visit [with Doyle] is in the last couple weeks of the campaign, which I presume it is an effort to rally and increase African American voters."" Recently, Green commenced a 100-stop tour across Wisconsin, in which he will promote one of his ideas at each of his stops. ""Green is reaching out to people of all ages, races and backgrounds on this roadmap tour,"" Punzenberger said. ""He is reaching out to all those who are afraid that Wisconsin's best days have passed and offering a vision on how to make Wisconsin great once again."" Black, however, warned of Green's ""extreme record"", which has become a major point in Doyle's own campaign. ""Mark's friendly personality masks his very right-wing voting record. I think it is important for the public to know how he has voted while serving in both the legislature and the United State's Congress."" Though this close race has gained the attention of people across the nation, Anne Lupardus, spokesperson for Doyle urged voters to "" choose between the Washington way and the Wisconsin way.""