Former Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann became the first of the three major gubernatorial candidates to air a television advertisement Monday.
The ad, titled ""Mark Neumann – Humble Beginnings,"" said Neumann is ""not a career politician, but a businessman who understands how to create jobs.""
Mike Tate, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said this ad does not accurately portray Neumann's record.
""It's convenient to brag that you're not a career politician when the reason you're not a career politician is because your voters have rejected your very extremist brand of politics,"" Tate said in a news conference call.
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, Neumann's challenger for the Republican nomination, will not change his campaign tactics, according to his spokesperson, Jill Bader.
""Regardless of what our opponents plan to do, we will continue to carry out Scott's message of lower taxes, less government and more personal freedom,"" Bader said.
Bader said Walker's goal is to create a dialogue with voters and has recently begun inviting voters to speak with him personally at ""kitchen table town halls.""
""Today, instead of talking at people in an ad, Scott was talking with people in Green Bay,"" Bader said. ""He was at his first of several dozen ‘brown-bag lunches.'""
Like Walker, Milwaukee Mayor and sole Democratic candidate Tom Barrett will not change his campaign strategy in reaction to the ad, according to his spokesperson Phil Walzak.
""We have always anticipated a competitive [Republican] primary,"" Walzak said. ""It's something that we have planned for.""
Walzak said Barrett is promoting his primary message of job creation throughout the state by connecting with voters one-on-one and through a new website. Within a month, the campaign plans to host a live video chat through the website in which Barrett will take questions from voters.
Overall, Graeme Zielinski, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said the ad might impact the election.
""Anything can potentially influence voters,"" Zielinski said. ""This is a well-produced, well-packaged, cynically misleading ad.""
