[media-credit name=’DAN POWELL/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson endorses gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., in a new advertisement unveiled Friday that attempts to refute accusations that Green wants to stop stem-cell research.

"[Democratic Gov.] Jim Doyle has failed us, and he's lying about Mark Green to cover it up," Thompson says in the ad. "Mark supports stem-cell research. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Throughout his campaign, Doyle alleges Green wants to block human embryonic stem-cell research, first pioneered at the University of Wisconsin. Doyle has said Green voted against a bill that would have expanded federal funding for stem-cell research and that Green vowed to sign a ban on a technique known as therapeutic cloning.

"Professing support for embryonic stem-cell research is one of the central frauds of Congressman Green's campaign," Anson Kaye, communications director for Doyle's campaign, said. "It doesn't matter how many times he says it, or who he gets to say it for him, Congressman Green opposes stem-cell research, and if he were governor this vital research would grind to a halt in Wisconsin."

Last week, actor Michael J. Fox also criticized Green's record in Congress in an ad to re-elect Doyle. The ad shows Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, telling viewers that Green's votes have set stem-cell research back.

Green, who was in Oshkosh Friday addressing his support of "all the research that's taking place in Madison," has outlined a $25 million plan to fund development of a new stem-cell technique that would not destroy human embryos. Doyle has called Green's proposal a "cheap gimmick."

"The embryos used in that research have ended up dying, but it's the methodology behind the research — not the actual experiments — we're pointing to," Green's campaign spokesperson Luke Punzenberger said. "And a motivating factor behind this is that we can conduct stem-cell research in an ethical manner."

In addition, Thompson says in the ad that Green supported additional funding for medical research as a member of Congress and that "he'll keep us in the lead in the search for cures."

Thompson, a Republican, was elected to four terms as governor, during which Doyle was attorney general. In 2001, Thompson left the state to join President George W. Bush's administration as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Doyle, meanwhile, also released a new ad Friday, highlighting the increased amount of money the state is gaining from Indian tribes via casinos across the state.
Doyle's ad comes in reaction to Green's charge that Doyle sold out to gambling interests. The ad says the state is receiving five times more money from tribes, compared to when Doyle took office four years ago.

"Because of Gov. Doyle's tough negotiating, the tribes are giving Wisconsin five times as much as ever before, saving taxpayers millions for schools, police and firefighters," Kaye said. "Because of Congressman Green's greed for campaign cash, the big drug and big oil companies are getting billions of taxpayer dollars, at a time when they are making record profits."
But Green's campaign spokesperson Mike Prentiss said Doyle has "flip-flopped" on important issues after receiving campaign donations.

"As attorney general and a candidate for governor, Jim Doyle supported legislative oversight of gaming decisions and opposed casino expansions," Prentiss said. "After receiving at least $2 million in campaign help from tribal casino interests, he vetoed legislative oversight four times and oversaw an explosion of new gaming in our state."
Green and Doyle face off in the general election a week from tomorrow.