Doyle faces tough re-election fight, observers say



But even before Walker's announcement, analysts who track governors' races had predicted Doyle would have his hands full becoming the first Democratic governor in Wisconsin to win re-election in 32 years. They point to several polls that show Doyle's approval ratings in the low to mid-40 percent range. Doyle has faced hostility from a Republican-controlled Legislature, questions about his fundraising tactics and a liberal base that has been disappointed by many of his decisions, they note. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and his wife served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Tunisia in the 1960's.

Doyle faces tough re-election fight, observers say

Doyle faces tough re-election fight, observers say
RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. - Republicans, independent observers and even Gov. Jim Doyle's own pollster are warning that the Democratic governor faces a tough road to re-election in November.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's recent decision to drop out of the running for the Republican nomination sets up a showdown between Doyle, a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay.

Political observers say Walker's move gives a boost to Green, who avoids a bruising battle for the Republican nomination in the September primary and can save his resources to duel Doyle.

But even before Walker's announcement, analysts who track governors' races had predicted Doyle would have his hands full becoming the first Democratic governor in Wisconsin to win re-election in 32 years.

They point to several polls that show Doyle's approval ratings in the low to mid-40 percent range. Doyle has faced hostility from a Republican-controlled Legislature, questions about his fundraising tactics and a liberal base that has been disappointed by many of his decisions, they note.

"We already regarded this as a very competitive race and one of the Democratic problem governorships," said Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan analyst who runs The Rothenberg Political Report. "Walker's exit from the race only confirms that."

Jennifer Duffy, a political analyst at The Cook Political Report in Washington, said Doyle's poll numbers were unusually low and should be of concern. She said Democrats are generally in a better position than Republicans across the country and that Green has just started campaigning.

Questions about whether donors to Doyle's campaign have received state contracts are particularly harmful, Duffy said, since the governor cannot benefit from the national Democratic campaign against the GOP "culture of corruption." Doyle has strongly denied any link but a state-federal investigation that has led to the indictment of one state employee continues.

Doyle campaign spokesman Anson Kaye dismissed the notion that Doyle is vulnerable.

"Political pundits pay the bills by pontificating in March but elections are run in September," he said. "This is a governor with a strong record who is talking with Wisconsin's middle-class and working families about the challenges they face every day. I think that puts him in a strong position."

But Mark Mellman, Doyle's Washington-based pollster, recently warned in a column in The Hill newspaper that Democrats are in the "greatest danger of losing" the Wisconsin governorship than any other battleground state.

He noted that Doyle was the first Democrat to be Wisconsin governor in 16 years, that Republicans dominate the state Legislature and that Democrat John Kerry narrowly defeated President Bush in the 2004 election.

Democrats should target the race now because having one of their own as governor will help the party win in the 2008 presidential race, he argued, just as Doyle helped deliver the state for Kerry.

In an interview, Mellman said Wisconsin's even division between Democrats and Republicans is a political reality for any statewide candidate. But he said Doyle's plans to make life more affordable for the middle-class would appeal to the swing voters he needs.

Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, agreed during a stop in Madison in March that Wisconsin was a key state and said it would be one of the most competitive governor's races in the country.

"There's not an incumbent governor of either party that is more vulnerable than your governor is this year," he said. "If you look at the governor's numbers ... it indicates a governor who the public has recognized they'd like to replace."

To be sure, Doyle has some key advantages. Doyle, 60, has won all four statewide elections he has competed in and can use the power of the governor's office to make news between now and the Nov. 7 election.

As of January, he had twice as much money in the bank as Green, and outside groups such as the Democratic Governors Association, where Doyle recently assumed a leadership post, are planning to pour resources into the race.

Bill Christofferson, a consultant who ran Doyle's campaign in 2002 and all three of his successful races for attorney general, said Doyle will start looking better to voters when he begins contrasting himself with Green.

"It will go down to the wire," he said. "My money is on Doyle."

Ever since Doyle defeated Republican Gov. Scott McCallum and Libertarian candidate Ed Thompson in 2002 with 45 percent of the vote after a bitter campaign, it was clear the governor would have a close re-election bid, Christofferson said.

But he said Doyle solved the budget mess he inherited without raising taxes while protecting schools and has vetoed "extreme" bills from the Legislature such as restrictions on stem cell research.

Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said voters in his Democratic-leaning district give Doyle credit for his vetoes of GOP bills such as one allowing people to carry concealed weapons but are lukewarm about his overall record. Doyle has failed to deliver campaign finance reform he promised in 2002, for instance, Black said.

Bruce Pfaff, who was Walker's campaign manager and worked on McCallum's campaign in 2002, said Doyle's problems with his base spell trouble.

"If you look at Doyle's poll numbers," he said, "they are as frightening as Scott McCallum's were at this point."

Kaye said Doyle has strong support from Democrats and has been able to expand his base to include more fiscally conservative voters by balancing the budget.

Black, who considered mounting a progressive challenge against Doyle but now says he'll run for re-election to the Assembly, said he expected an intense and negative campaign.

"I'd say it's 50-50 right now," he said. "This is an election where the campaign slogan of both candidates is going to be: 'Vote for me, I'm not as bad as the other guy.' It's not going to be an uplifting campaign."

When this story was posted in July 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Jody Olsen is acting Peace Corps Director The Senate confirmed Gaddi Vasquez to head the FAO on June 30. Jody Olsen will be acting Director until the President makes a permanent appointment. Olsen has been Deputy Director of the Peace Corps since 2002. She has previously served as Chief of Staff for two directors, as regional director for North Africa, Near East, and Asia and the Pacific, and as country director in Togo. She served in Tunisia as a PCV.

---

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.

---

Changing the Face of Hunger In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

---

PC will not return to East Timor in 2006 Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.

---

Chris Dodd considers run for the White House Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.

---

The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan." Read an excerpt from his novel, an interview with the author and a schedule of his book readings in Maryland and DC this week.

---

Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee Director Vasquez testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination as the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. He has been the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver. PCOL Comment: Read our thanks to Director Vasquez for his service to the Peace Corps.

---

First Amendment Watch Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell

---

Interview with a Hit Man RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

---

PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.

---

Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.

---

PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

---

History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

---

RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

---

Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

---

Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

Read the stories and leave your comments.