Green tops Wisconsin House reps in fund-raising His financial well-being could allow him to make a run for governor in 2006 By Melanie Fonder For The News-Chronicle MADISON - One year ago at this time, Green Bay Republican Rep. Mark Green had about $675,000 cash on hand for the first quarterly filing of 2002, putting him squarely in the middle of the Wisconsin U.S. House delegation. Now, he's leading the pack. Green reported $856,950 for the reporting period from Jan. 1 through March 31 in his campaign-finance filings due to the Federal Election Commission last week, putting him ahead of the state's seven other representatives. A large part of the numbers reported by any member of the delegation also reflect how much or how little they had to spend in the 2002 election. Green's solid financial war chest could be another indication he is planning ahead to be the GOP challenger to Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle in 2006. Former Democratic Rep. Tom Barrett, Milwaukee, who challenged Doyle in the primary last year, converted his congressional campaign money into cash for his gubernatorial race. The amount Green raised would easily put him in the financial game were he to challenge Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, who is up for re-election in 2004. Green, however, has made no secret of the fact he does not want to run for the Senate. Feingold reported the most of the state delegation with just over $1.5 million and appears to be financially poised to take on a Republican challenger. Going in the opposite direction of Green is Madison Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who reported only $86,658. Last year at this time, she reported a campaign war chest of $389,256. She reported the least of any of the Wisconsin House delegation. Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl, who largely finances his own campaigns, reported only $6,166. Behind Green are Republican Reps. Tom Petri, of Fond fu Lac, with $780,065, and Paul Ryan, of Janesville, with $641,865. Ryan noted in a release he suspended his fund-raising for three weeks following the start of the war with Iraq. "Wisconsinites continue to show their financial support even while enduring the perilous times that we are living through. I'm amazed by their generosity when the nations' collective hearts and minds are clearly focused elsewhere," Ryan said in the statement. Here's what the rest of the delegation reported: F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls, $438,644; Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, $402,105; Rep. Jerry Kleczka, D-Milwaukee, $328,619; and Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, $264,400.