While it is still a year until the race for Wisconsin’s soon-to-be open Senate seat takes place, stem cell research is already being brought to the forefront as a potential hot-button issue in the election.

Former Republican governor Tommy Thompson spoke at the Vatican last week to advocate for adult stem cell research, campaign spokesperson Ryan Burchfield said in an email to The Badger Herald.

“Thompson fully supports adult stem cell research, which does not require the destruction of embryos,” Darrin Schmitz, spokesperson for Thompson, said in the statement. “[Thompson’s] position regarding stem cell research is consistent with the 2001 policy developed during President Bush’s tenure.”

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said stem cell research will likely to be a topic of discussion in the upcoming race.

Thompson has to appeal to pro-life groups who are against embryonic stem cell research and only support the practice of studying adult stem cells, Heck said. He said Thompson has changed his position on the issue.

“When [Thompson] was Secretary of Health and Human Services for President Bush, he was not known as a strong opponent of embryonic stem cell research,” Heck said.

A statement from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin said Thompson is trying to “pander to the far right,” highlighting his opposition to stem cell research as another strategy in doing so.

In an email to The Badger Herald, Phillip Walzak, spokesperson for Democratic candidate Tammy Baldwin, said the congresswoman from Wisconsin’s 2nd District differs from Thompson in her support for stem cell research.

“[Baldwin] supports both adult stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research,” Walzak said. “Both have enormous potential to save and improve lives, and both provide tremendous opportunities for jobs and investment in Wisconsin’s economy.”

Heck said Baldwin is currently the only Democrat running for the open Senate seat. As of now, he said Baldwin would either be running against Thompson, former congressman Mark Neumann or Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon.

Though Thompson was governor 11 years ago, Heck said his 14 years in the position means many Wisconsinites still remember Thompson favorably.

He said the race will be competitive no matter who runs from the Republican party.

“[Rep. Baldwin] has the advantage of an uncontested primary and she’s a phenomenal fundraiser,” Heck said.

If the race comes down to Thompson and Baldwin, Heck said Thompson would likely have a slight advantage over the congresswoman because he is the more widely recognized candidate.

Both candidates want the focus of the Senate campaign to be on jobs. Walzak said job creation is one of the main reasons Baldwin is running.

Heck said the Republicans already have a majority in Congress and they need four more seats to take control of the Senate. He said the race will likely bring in a large amount of money to both campaigns due to what is at stake.

“This is going to be an incredibly important race, not just for Wisconsin, but for the nation,” Heck said. “It will be the most expensive Senate race in Wisconsin’s history by far.”