Just a quick hit diary to pass along this Politico report by Jonathan Martin:
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has told associates he will announce this week that he won’t seek a third term in 2010, POLITICO has learned. […]
Doyle’s office did not respond to POLITICO’s inquiries, but subsequently issued a one-sentence statement to Wisconsin reporters indicating that the governor would make an announcement Monday about his intentions.
With Doyle retiring, a slew of Wisconsin Democrats are likely to consider the race. That list is topped by Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, who has already indicated she would run if Doyle does not and who would be the state’s first female governor.
Martin goes on to speculate that Lawton may be able to run as an incumbent if President Obama brings Doyle into the administration. Doyle endorsed Obama during the primaries.
So, what does everyone think? Is this going to be an easier hold with Doyle out? He wasn’t our most endangered incumbent governor by any means, but there were some worrying signs. Last month Swing State Project downgraded this race to lean Dem.
Doyle didn’t think Lawton could win either. That’s why he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of running for re-election until he absolutely had to. So I’m not sure Doyle would accept a position in the administration. From his point of view, Lawton running as the incumbent might be just enough of a boost to win the primary and lose the general.
Ron Kind is probably a much stronger statewide candidate than Lawton, in my opinion. He has a more of a moderate image than Lawton, but is still supporting the public option, for instance. He also attempted a reform of farm subsidies, which unfortunately didn’t go anywhere.
The row of dominoes a Kind run for governor would set up would be interesting. On one hand, Democrats would have to scramble to find a candidate for WI-3. On the other hand, if GOP State Senator Dan Kapanke won the House seat, it would trigger a special election for his State Senate seat, which Democrats could probably win. Ironically, Kapanke’s Senate seat is actually more Democratic than WI-3 is (62% to 58%.)