It's official: Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is seeking the Republican Party's 2008 presidential nomination.

Thompson announced his candidacy April 4 to crowds in Milwaukee and Iowa, the campaign's strategy base, as Thompson and his campaign hope winning the Iowa caucus will shuttle him to more primary victories in states across the nation.

Among others, Thompson will face former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for the Republican ticket. Most polls report Giuliani leading McCain by 10 to 15 percentage points. Thompson usually earns 3 to 4 percent of the total vote.

At the April 4 campaign kickoff in Iowa, Thompson described himself as a "reliable conservative" — a phrase that has become the credo of his presidential bid and also his redesigned website, www.tommy2008.com.

"From Madison to Washington, this is the record of a reliable conservative — one who puts principles into practice," Thompson said according to an online transcript. "It is a record driven by our shared Midwestern work ethic. We don't just talk about solving problems; we get the job done in these parts."

In his speech, Thompson outlined his three-part plan for the war in Iraq. He first proposed holding Iraqi elections about whether the United States is welcome in Iraq, saying the referendum would help better gauge future decisions.

Second, Thompson wants the Iraqi government to create 18 states separated by regional and cultural boundaries. Third, he proposes equal sharing of oil revenues between the Iraqi federal government, provincial governments and the Iraqi citizens.

"Taken together, these three steps will give Iraqis — both the government and its citizens — an ownership stake in their newly free nation," Thompson said.

While hitting other topics, the former Department of Health and Human Services Secretary under President Bush also outlined his proposals to improve health care. As president, Thompson said he would support funding information technology to "create a more efficient health-care system."

Thompson also called for reforming the Medicaid and Medicare programs but did not outline specific improvements, only saying that current costs would bankrupt federal and state governments over time.

Bush denies state prescription drug program

Also last week, the Bush Administration denied Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's appeal to continue Wisconsin's prescription drug program SeniorCare, which many argue is less complicated and more accessible than the federal government's Medicare Part D program.

About 104,000 Wisconsin seniors currently use state's prescription drug program, set to expire June 30.

According to the April 3 letter sent to Doyle from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Wisconsin officials failed to show the SeniorCare program is cost-neutral.

Wisconsin may continue the program, but would have to do so without federal matching funds, the letter noted.

A more likely option, according to Jason Helgerson, director of Wisconsin's Medicaid program, is altering Part D through state-funded initiatives, which would make it more similar to SeniorCare.

"It's going to be a challenge, but I think we have no choice," Helgerson said.

Helgerson said the state hopes to negotiate a six-month extension of SeniorCare to transition Wisconsin users to the Medicare Part D plan. Through limited funding, the state also hopes to expand coverage and reduce the cost of some Part D premiums, which are all higher than SeniorCare, Helgerson added.