NEWS
By Samantha Bachmann
|
Aug. 30, 2006
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.""
