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Senator receives notable support

He may play a political aide on TV, but "The West Wing" actor Bradley Whitford is involved in politics in real life, as well.

The Madison native recently donated $2,000 to U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold's public action committee, or PAC, fund.

The Wisconsin Democrat's PAC, The Progressive Patriots Fund, has been getting a lot of national backing since its creation in 2005.

The committee's overall goal is to support Democratic Party candidates around the country while promoting a progressive reform agenda.

George Aldrich, the committee's spokesperson, said the fund "has received 53 percent of its contributions from residents of Wisconsin," meaning that almost half of the donations have come from elsewhere across the country.

To some, it may seem surprising that there is so much national interest in one Wisconsin senator.

"[Feingold is] looking to broaden support out of Wisconsin," University of Wisconsin political science professor Kenneth Mayer said.

Mayer added this rallying of support could be in preparation for a possible presidential run, which many Wisconsin residents have been speculating about for months.

"Part of this is a leadership act to provide money and support candidates, which is common for people looking for higher office or leadership positions," he said.

Specifically, The Progressive Patriots Fund has been receiving one-fourth of its donations from California, which includes other contributions from celebrities.

Whitford's wife, Jane Kaczmarek, an actress on the FOX series "Malcolm in the Middle" and also a UW alum, recently donated $1,000 to the PAC as well.

Last year, Kaczmarek donated $4,000 to Feingold's Senate campaign.

However, celebrity endorsement does not always have a positive effect on a lawmaker's political campaign.

"There's a potential downside," Mayer said. "Your opponents can portray you as too close to a group that might be controversial."

But Mayer also added that celebrity endorsements do not usually affect a politician's campaign, unless they are an indicator of some broader level of support.

He used former presidential candidate John Kerry as an example. Kerry's 2004 Madison rally, the largest rally in the history of the city, included a performance by musician Bruce Springsteen.

Even with the publicity and celebrity endorsement, "Kerry still [lost] the election and barely [won] Wisconsin," Mayer said.