The Wisconsin governor's race promised to be interesting in 2010 even before Gov. Jim Doyle announced Monday he would not seek a third term. Now it's a free-for-all.
Doyle's decision against running for re-election was, he said Monday, the keeping of a promise he made when he was first elected in 2002.
"I believe that a governor should limit him or herself to two terms," Doyle said.
For Doyle to follow through on that promise is commendable. So, too, is his commitment to work hard through the end of his term, allowing him to be a full-time governor during his last year in office rather than a full-time campaigner. How that impacts his performance during his final months in office remains to be seen.
But though Doyle may be sincere in honoring his two-term commitment, he also had to see the political writing on the wall. His poll approval ratings have been dropping in Wisconsin. And the governor certainly did himself no favors with his handling of the state budget processes this year and in years past.
Doyle has been notorious for playing the budget shell game - moving money from one fund to another, or applying accounting tricks to leave today's tough decisions for tomorrow. Tomorrow will come in 2011, or earlier, and it won't be pretty. The next governor will have a heckuva budget mess to clean up.
His insistence on placing non-budgetary policy decisions in the budget this spring also drew the ire of Republicans and newspaper editorial boards across the state. So, too, did Doyle's Democratic Party for conducting most key budget discussions in private.
Given all of that, Doyle may actually be doing the state Democratic Party a favor by bowing out now. It gives gubernatorial hopefuls time and space to build their campaigns. And it may help distance the party at least a little from the attack strategies Republican opponents had ready for Doyle.
The political impact of Doyle's decision was just beginning to be felt Monday. It will be the first time in 28 years without a Wisconsin governor up for re-election. Democratic Lt. Gov. Barb Lawton already has committed to a gubernatorial run. The list of those who said they'd consider entering the race is long, and includes 27th District Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee.
The Republican contest already has two candidates, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann. Walker already has built a substantial campaign war chest. And on Monday, former Gov. Tommy Thompson and Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen at least left doors open to potential candidacies.
"Wisconsin's governor's race will become one of the most, if not the most, competitive races in the country (in 2010)," said 80th District Assemblyman Brett Davis, R-Oregon, who himself said he'd consider a state Senate run if Erpenbach were to make a successful run for governor.
Competitive, indeed. Candidates already are jockeying for position. Let the horse race begin.
Doyle's decision against running for re-election was, he said Monday, the keeping of a promise he made when he was first elected in 2002.
"I believe that a governor should limit him or herself to two terms," Doyle said.
For Doyle to follow through on that promise is commendable. So, too, is his commitment to work hard through the end of his term, allowing him to be a full-time governor during his last year in office rather than a full-time campaigner. How that impacts his performance during his final months in office remains to be seen.
But though Doyle may be sincere in honoring his two-term commitment, he also had to see the political writing on the wall. His poll approval ratings have been dropping in Wisconsin. And the governor certainly did himself no favors with his handling of the state budget processes this year and in years past.
Doyle has been notorious for playing the budget shell game - moving money from one fund to another, or applying accounting tricks to leave today's tough decisions for tomorrow. Tomorrow will come in 2011, or earlier, and it won't be pretty. The next governor will have a heckuva budget mess to clean up.
His insistence on placing non-budgetary policy decisions in the budget this spring also drew the ire of Republicans and newspaper editorial boards across the state. So, too, did Doyle's Democratic Party for conducting most key budget discussions in private.
Given all of that, Doyle may actually be doing the state Democratic Party a favor by bowing out now. It gives gubernatorial hopefuls time and space to build their campaigns. And it may help distance the party at least a little from the attack strategies Republican opponents had ready for Doyle.
The political impact of Doyle's decision was just beginning to be felt Monday. It will be the first time in 28 years without a Wisconsin governor up for re-election. Democratic Lt. Gov. Barb Lawton already has committed to a gubernatorial run. The list of those who said they'd consider entering the race is long, and includes 27th District Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee.
The Republican contest already has two candidates, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann. Walker already has built a substantial campaign war chest. And on Monday, former Gov. Tommy Thompson and Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen at least left doors open to potential candidacies.
"Wisconsin's governor's race will become one of the most, if not the most, competitive races in the country (in 2010)," said 80th District Assemblyman Brett Davis, R-Oregon, who himself said he'd consider a state Senate run if Erpenbach were to make a successful run for governor.
Competitive, indeed. Candidates already are jockeying for position. Let the horse race begin.
