Just a day after U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate, members of the campus community and politicians across Wisconsin expressed their opinions and made predictions about her campaign.
Representatives of two student organizations expressed enthusiasm over her Senate bid.
Former College Democrats Chair Evan Geisemann said he thinks Baldwin is a ""breath of fresh air"" in today's political climate.
Baldwin is ""standing up for students, middle class … the people of Wisconsin,"" Geisemann said.
Members of the LGBT community in particular have actively voiced their support for Baldwin, who, if elected, would be the first openly gay senator.
Robin Matthies, Assistant Director of the LGBT Campus Center, said Baldwin ""has consistently been a strong advocate for [the LGBT] community in Madison and beyond.""
But former Republican U.S. Congressman Mark Neumann, who could face Baldwin in the 2012 election, criticized her for ""voting for the entire Obama agenda except for when it wasn't liberal enough.""
""Since Tammy Baldwin was elected, Congress has racked up more debt than all previous Congresses combined,"" Neumann said in a statement.
Political Science Professor Charles Franklin said that Baldwin is correctly scored by the non-partisan National Journal as one of the most liberal members of Congress. Even though critics call it a liability, Franklin said it could be used to her advantage.
""[Baldwin] will have to stake out a campaign that lets her acknowledge her liberal voting record but present that as a positive to voters,"" Franklin said.
Franklin said the 2011 election results suggest Wisconsin is split 50-50 between liberals and conservatives.
""If [Wisconsin is evenly divided,] strong party-line and ideological voting could be a benefit for extreme candidates on both sides,"" Franklin said.
Even though Franklin called the race a ""toss-up"" Tuesday, he cautioned ""it is precarious to predict whether the political forces are going to remain so evenly balanced.""
State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, who is expected to announce his candidacy for Baldwin's congressional seat Wednesday, praised Baldwin for fighting for the middle class.
""We've fought many of the same fights rooted in our deeply held belief that everyone deserves a voice in our government, not just those who can afford to buy one,"" Pocan said in a statement.
