As July draws to a close, the candidates for Wisconsin elections, both federal and state, are being finalized and many races are shaping up to be competitive.
Election dates for Wisconsin’s gubernatorial election as well as federal representative and Senate races fall on Nov. 2. Candidates had until July 20 to file papers of candidacy.
Many believe conventional wisdom points to this year turning into a Republican success story, according to Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, a non-partisan lobby group.
?People have short memories. In the country and in Wisconsin, voters don’t remember the long history, they just look at the issues now, that’s just how it works,” Heck said.
Gubernatorial race
One of the most anticipated races where this dynamic could take place is the gubernatorial election for current Gov. Jim Doyle, who filed a notice of non-candidacy, leaving the door open for one of 23 possible candidates. This list may be whittled down by the filing deadline July 20.
“This is the first time in 28 years there’s been an open race for the governor’s office. It?s anybody’s race, either party could take the office,” said Mike McCabe, director of Common Cause Wisconsin.
The sole frontrunner on the Democratic side appears to be Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, while on the Republican side, former U.S. Congressman Mark Neumann and Milwaukee Country Executive Scott Walker will face off in a September primary.presently M
Walker, who is the ,won the Republican endorsement at the state GOP convention in May and a June Rasmussen poll placed Walker with 49 percent over Barrett’s 41 percent. Neumann enjoyed only 45 percent when compared to Barrett in the same poll. Walker and Neumann will compete in the primary election Sept. 14 to see who will officially challenge Barrett in November.
Students in particular should keep a sharp eye on the gubernatorial election, Heck said.
?Not only is it going to be one of the most expensive races for governor ever in the state, there are numerous implications for higher education and the UW school system, such as support for the system and financial aid,? Heck said.
Congressional race
The Wisconsin race for federal congressional seats is coming down to the wire for several key districts, with the most high profile races most likely going down in the 7th and 8th districts.
Wisconsin is allotted eight seats in the United States House of Representatives, which are currently held by five Democrats and three Republicans.
In the 7th district, U.S. Rep. David Obey announced his retirement in May and current state Rep. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point and Republican challenger Sean Duffy, currently the district attorney of Ashland County, have stepped in to fill the void.
In the 8th district, four Republican challengers could pose a threat to incumbent Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Wis, after a Republican nominee is chosen in the Sept. 14 primary.
Senate race
In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., could face a stiff race defending his title against two Republican opponents.
Originally four candidates threw their hat into the ring, but it was relative political newcomer Ron Johnson, a businessman from Oshkosh, who won the Republican endorsement at the GOP convention in May. Republican Dave Westlake has also maintained his candidacy and will battle Johnson in September for the right to challenge Feingold.
Although Feingold enjoys broad support, Johnson will most likely prove to be a challenging opponent, and any race with at least one millionaire running is bound to be competitive, Heck said.
McCabe predicts campaign costs for the gubernatorial election could reach $40 million.
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson had previously expressed interest in challenging Feingold, but officially ruled out the possibility in April.
State Legislature race
Locally, Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, whose district covers much of the UW-Madison campus, will not be seeking reelection, and his successor could have a large impact on life at UW.
In addition, more than double the number of state legislators have decided not to run in November, which could leave the currently Democrat-controlled state legislature open to a change in control, McCabe said.
Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton has also declined to run in the 2010 election. Incumbent Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen and Secretary of State Douglas La Follette will both be running for re-election in the fall and could present stiff competition for any potential opponents.
A word of caution
As campaign season heats up and candidate lists are finalized, many groups are warning voters to beware of campaign ads as a source of information when making a decision about which candidate to support.
Andrea Kaminski from the League of Women Voters cautions students and other voters alike to take time to explore candidates’ views on the issues by using voter resources online and going to candidates’ websites to get a more in-depth view of their stance on the issues.
“Those ads are paid speech. They’re scripted. They’re 30 second spots, they’re designed to push people’s buttons, they’re not designed to really go into any depth,” Kaminski said.
Likewise, the sheer volume of ads can make it difficult to sort through information, and in many cases voters may have trouble deciding which source to listen to.
“There’s going to be an awful lot of ads that people are going to have to endure. I hope people ignore most of them and read a newspaper for other sources of information,” McCabe said.
