Recent polls show Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is riding a wave of

support as he heads into the Wisconsin primary, according to the

latest poll taken by Market Shares Corp. for the Milwaukee Journal

Sentinel and WTMJ-TV.

Forty-five percent of likely voters in the Wisconsin Democratic

primary say they back Kerry, more than all the supporters for the

other three major candidates combined.

Although Gen. Wesley Clark pulled out of the presidential race

at press time, he received 13 percent of statewide support in the

poll. He was followed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean with 12

percent and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., with 9 percent. Seventeen

percent of voters said they were still currently undecided.

One in three Wisconsin voters polled said they would not like to

see Dean win the nomination. One in six voters said the same thing

of Clark.

The results reveal the large role electability is playing in

this year’s primary run. Sixty-seven percent of likely voters said

Kerry’s chances of defeating Bush this fall were good or excellent.

While the majority of Kerry supporters cited the ability to beat

Bush as most important, the majority of supporters in the other

three camps pointed instead to a candidate’s stance on the

issues.

“We have the strongest candidate that is the best challenge to

George Bush,” Don Eggert, co-chair of Students for Kerry, said.

“Electability, I think, is justifiably an important issue.”

Eggert said because a significant faction of Americans want Bush

out of office, electability has become a bigger and more legitimate

issue than in other years.

“People realize the advantage the Republicans have because they

have an incumbent and an incredible amount of money. People just

understand that four more years under George Bush means we are

going to a scary place,” Eggert said.

Wisconsin lawmakers U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and U.S. Reps.

David Obey, D-Wausau, and Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, formally endorsed

Kerry Tuesday.

“I am honored to receive the support of such respected Wisconsin

leaders in my candidacy for president. As Democrats we are unified

in the fight to beat George Bush and are working together to build

a safer, stronger and more secure America,” Kerry said in a press

statement.

Although Kerry is yet to campaign here, all of the other major

candidates have visited Wisconsin over the weekend to win voters.

The polls indicate that Kerry’s competition have an uphill battle

in Wisconsin a week before the state’s primary Feb. 17.

Adam Diederich, co-chair of Students for Clark, feels that

despite his withdrawal, Clark was an important player in the

Democratic race and added to the overall caliber of the

contenders.

Because he entered the race later than other candidates,

Diederich thinks Clark did not have sufficient campaign

organization, which ultimately hurt him in the end.

“Above all, it shows he got into the race too late. I definitely

still think he was the best candidate,” Diederich said, adding he

believes Clark is a “serious contender” for the vice president

bid.

Because of their similar demographics, Diederich thinks many of

Clark’s supporters will now opt to back Edwards.