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Wisconsin politicians endorse different candidates

With Wisconsin’s presidential primaries just weeks away, several candidates are counting on the endorsements of key political figures in the state to help pick up much needed delegates.

Wisconsin’s primaries are Feb. 19, and with no clear frontrunner in either political party, the state’s vote could have a big impact, despite it following 24 states on “Super Tuesday,” Feb. 5.

Earlier this month, Gov. Jim Doyle joined his family in endorsing Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in his run for the White House. Last fall, Gus Doyle, the governor’s son, introduced Obama when he visited Madison’s Monona Terrace.

Three prominent female Democratic leaders from Wisconsin announced their support for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk all back the former first lady.

In June, Lawton became Clinton’s Midwest campaign co-chair.

John Edwards, who took second in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary in 2004 and trails Clinton and Obama in national polls, picked up the endorsement of state Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston.

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has publicly endorsed Edwards, as well.

“He’s not, for sure, where he wants to be,” Decker said. “It all depends on how it goes in South Carolina. If he wins big in his home state, that’ll help him out, but if Edwards has a struggle down there, I think he may be in trouble.”

Decker also said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican who won the Iowa caucuses in January, is the worst candidate because of similarities Decker said he has to President George W. Bush and his potential to divide the country further.

On the Republican side, after his own run for the White House ended in August, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson threw his support behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

“Rudy Giuliani has shown that he is a true leader. He can and will win the nomination and the presidency,” Thompson wrote in a statement. “He is America’s mayor, and during a period of time of great stress for this country he showed tremendous leadership.”

As for U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., he compared the candidates last fall to his children, saying if he picks one, “the others will kill me.”

Last December, a statewide poll revealed Wisconsin voters supported Clinton and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., over the other primary candidates. However, the political landscape has changed dramatically since then, as Thompson is now toward the bottom of many national political polls.

In 2004, Wisconsin’s 11 electoral votes went to Democratic challenger John Kerry by the narrowest margin of any state in the nation. Former Democratic Vice President Al Gore won Wisconsin’s 11 electoral votes in 2000.

 

— Beth Mueller contributed to this report.