With the recent withdrawal of Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton from the race for governor, the Democratic Party is looking at other possible candidates with the election just more than a year away.
Finding a suitable gubernatorial candidate has not been easy for the Democrats. Gov. Jim Doyle's announcement that he would not seek re-election left the field wide-open for potential candidates. After Lawton's announcement Monday, the Democrats once again lack a major candidate.
""Democrats were already concerned that Barbara Lawton might not be a strong candidate. Now they are even more concerned,"" John Coleman, UW-Madison political science professor, said. ""I don't think it's a statement on the party so much as it is a statement that the term of the next governor will be a difficult one, which has probably discouraged some candidates from entering.""
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., another Democratic hopeful, backed out of the race last month. State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, decided against a campaign earlier this year.
Many Democrats have shifted their focus to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Barrett's spokesperson said Barrett would most likely make an announcement within one to two weeks regarding his candidacy.
Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, has not yet counted himself out of a possible bid, and speculation surrounding Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk's intentions remains.
On the Republican side, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has been on the campaign trail for almost six months, and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, R-Wis., has been campaigning for four months.
Coleman said although the Republican candidates have the ""field completely to themselves,"" the extra media coverage they may have received could be balanced out by the continuing search for a Democratic candidate.
According to Coleman, the frontrunners for 2010 are still up in the air.
""On the Democratic side, I'll make the bold prediction that there will indeed be a candidate. Until we know who, there's not much more that can be said,"" he said. ""On the Republican side, Scott Walker currently has the edge.""
