Presidential campaigning continued this week in Wisconsin after Barack Obama's Monday visit to Madison, with Rudy Giuliani appearing in Milwaukee Thursday and 20 state leaders collectively announcing endorsements of John Edwards.
Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani held a private luncheon at the University Club of Milwaukee Thursday afternoon, in which attendees paid between $1,000 and $2,300 to see the former New York City mayor.
Charles Franklin, a UW-Madison political science professor, said Giuliani's visit helped to maintain the state donor base, which may be important should he be nominated.
Giuliani is the leading candidate among Republicans in Wisconsin, according to the latest Strategic Vision poll released in September. He led with 28 percent of Republican support, with Fred Thompson close behind at 24 percent and John McCain and Mitt Romney with 8 and 7 percent, respectively.
Franklin said Giuliani has strong support with business interest Republicans in the state, such as winning the endorsement of former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.
However, he said socially conservative Republicans are less convinced by Giuliani. [They] are having a much harder time following his past support for abortion rights, gay rights and gun control,"" Franklin said of the group. ""That's of course the stumbling block for him.""
Some Democratic leaders in the state support Presidential candidate John Edwards, a former North Carolina Senator. The campaign announced Thursday that 20 elected Wisconsin officials endorsed the Senator, which builds on an endorsement list of 17 earlier this year.
The state leaders highlighted Edwards's vision, leadership and ability to motivate swing voters at a press conference Thursday in Madison.
Among the endorsees are Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Joe Wineke, state Representatives Frank Boyle, Kim Hixson, Josh Zepnick, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewiscz, U.S. Congressman David Obey and state Senators Russ Decker and Joe Erpenbach.
Currently, Edwards trails both Hillary Clinton and Obama, according to a recent Strategic Vision poll of Wisconsin Democrats. Clinton led with 44 percent, followed by Obama with 22 percent and Edwards with 11 percent.
As for right now, Franklin said Edwards is behind both candidates in Iowa, too.
""If he could get his campaign back on track with a strong showing in Iowa, he might be able to emerge as the credible challenger to apparently Clinton in the later primaries.""
The Wisconsin primary is set for Feb. 19, 2008.
