By Melanie Fonder
For the News-Chronicle
A newly released straw poll taken at the Wisconsin Republican state convention shows that the GOP establishment would most like to have incumbent Gov. Scott McCallum face Attorney General Jim Doyle this fall in the general election.
Doyle is one of four Democrats vying for the nomination along with Rep. Tom Barrett, D-Milwaukee, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and state Sen. Gary George, D-Milwaukee.
Doyle received 38 percent - or 75 votes - and George came in second with 32 percent - or 62 votes. Falk was the third choice and Barrett was the candidate the least number of people would like to see face McCallum. Barrett received 6 percent - or 12 votes.
The poll was conducted at the convention here on Friday and Saturday by www.WisPolitics.com, an online political Web site.
Meanwhile, former Gov.-turned-Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson narrowly lost to Rep. Mark Green, R-Green Bay, as the favored potential candidate to run against Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., in 2004. Green, who was chairman of the state convention, inched past Thompson by two votes with 25 percent support. Thompson had 50 votes - or 24 percent backing.
WisPolitics said 196 people voted in the first question and 206 people voted in the second question. A similar straw poll is planned for next week's state Democratic convention in Madison.
GOVERNOR'S SPEECH
In order to prevent future crises like the current $1.1 billion budget shortfall, McCallum proposed a constitutional amendment Saturday to create a "rainy day" savings account during his nomination acceptance.
The money for the "state savings account" would come from state budget surpluses, and only a two-thirds vote of the Legislature could spend that money.
"I know it's a novel idea - for government," McCallum said during a speech to the Republican state convention after the party faithful formally endorsed him with more than 98 percent of delegate votes.
Some 800 people attended the convention at the KI Convention Center.
McCallum is facing uncertain territory in his bid for governor and has had to step out from the shadow of his popular predecessor, Thompson. The former governor -- not in attendance -- received hearty applause the two times McCallum mentioned him.
Despite facing a rocky political climate, McCallum was cheered on by hundreds of activists as he promised to make Wisconsin a competitive state in all areas without raising taxes. McCallum emphasized the need for his party to think unconventionally to win this fall.
"We need to be bold. We need to be innovative. We need to accept change," McCallum said. "We're showing them Wisconsin Republicans are a party united ... a party of ideas."
McCallum also pledged to try and make Wisconsin's education system the best in the world. He said he wanted his children to appreciate what the state had to offer the same way he did.
"I want them to love Wisconsin the way I love Wisconsin," McCallum said, adding that he wanted more young people to stay and work in the state after graduation.
After the speech, McCallum released a statement urging his Democratic gubernatorial opponents to work with the Democrat-controlled Senate to pass the measure. A release also said McCallum would consider creating a second account for tax relief - the Badger Tax Refund Account - that would be used if the original account exceeds a certain - unspecified - amount.
GREEN TO BE NAMED VICE-CHAIR
Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner said in his speech to the convention that Green, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, would be named the vice chairman of the Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee this week.
Free-lance reporter Melanie Fonder covers state and national politics for the News-Chronicle. She is co-author of the newly released book, "Complete Idiot's Guide to American Government," featured on Page 20 of today's newspaper. See Monday's "Wisconsin in Washington" column for more convention news.
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