Another wintry storm Friday

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced Monday
that he will not seek re-election next year and does not want to be
considered for any positions within President Barack Obama's
administration at this time.


      Doyle's decision not to seek a third term greatly improves the
Republican party's chances of winning the governor's office in
Wisconsin, traditionally a Democratic-leaning state that Obama won
in 2008. Wisconsin is one of 28 states with Democratic governors.

      Flanked by family, members of his cabinet, political supporters
and old friends at the elementary school he attended as a child,
Doyle said he intends to serve the remaining 16 months of his term
and told members of Obama's administration he does not want to be
considered for any position during that time.


      Obama, as well as two former governors and current members of
his administration - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health
and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius - were quick to
praise Doyle.

      "His tough and fair leadership enabled him to work across the
aisle to strengthen education and spur economic recovery," Obama
said in a statement.

      Doyle said he is focused on getting more done in his final
months in office and not what he will do once he leaves. "I'm not
even thinking about it," he said of his plans.


      His friend and University of Wisconsin Regent David Walsh said
he expected Doyle to work as a consultant on energy and education
issues.

      Doyle said his intention always was to serve just two terms and
he wanted to announce his plans to give other Democrats enough time
to build campaigns.

      "As much as I love the job, as hard as I work at it and as much
as my team and I have to contribute to a third term, I don't
believe that a governor should limit him or herself to two terms,"
Doyle said Monday.


      His departure sets up the first open governor's race in
Wisconsin since 1982.


      "With him out, it actually allows national forces to come play
a bigger role," said University of Wisconsin-Madison political
science professor Charles Franklin.


      Had Doyle run, the campaign would be focused on his record, but
now national issues will play a bigger role, Franklin said.


      Doyle was the first Democrat re-elected as governor in 32 years.
His departure creates a scramble for Democrats who would never
dared challenge the incumbent and Republicans who weren't otherwise
considering a run.


      Some of the more prominent potential Democratic candidates
include U.S. Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse, Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton
and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. 


Republicans already running are
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark
Neumann. Other Republicans who now may decide to jump in include
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and former
Gov. Tommy Thompson.


      Doyle did not immediately endorse a candidate.


      "It's time for them to go out and make their case," he said.


      Doyle had raised more than $2 million for a potential race.
Under state law, he cannot transfer the balance to whichever
candidate he may ultimately support. 


He could give it to charity,
return the money to donors, or use it to make donations to others
up to the legal limits depending on the office being sought.


      He couldn't give more than $43,128 to any one candidate for
governor.


      Doyle, 63, comes from a prominent Democratic family. His father,
James E. Doyle Sr., was a federal judge and his mother, Ruth
Bachhuber Doyle, was one of the first women ever elected to the
state Assembly.


      A Harvard law school graduate, Doyle met his wife Jessica in the
Peace Corps in the 1960s before returning to Wisconsin and serving
three terms as Dane County district attorney.


      Doyle has never lost a statewide election and served three terms
as attorney general between 1990 and 2002 before defeating
incumbent Republican Gov. Scott McCallum to win his first race for
governor. In 2006, Doyle beat then-U.S. Rep. Mark Green.


      As governor, Doyle championed stem cell research and expanding
health insurance coverage, frequently trumpeting Wisconsin's status
as the state with the second-highest percentage of citizens
covered.


      He made public education a priority and created the Wisconsin
Covenant program, which guarantees a spot in a state college or
university for middle-school students who pledge to meet certain
benchmarks.


      Doyle's been an advocate for public transportation, recently
drawing heat for entering into a $47 million no-bid contract to buy
two passenger trains from Spanish company Patentes Talgo.


      But his seven years in office so far have been overshadowed by
the economy. He inherited a $3.2 billion deficit in 2003 and this
year his budget balanced the worst shortfall in state history at
$6.6 billion.


      The budget Doyle signed into law less than seven weeks ago
angered Republicans and many in the business community because of
more than $2 billion in taxes and fees. Doyle also ordered all
state workers to take 16 unpaid days off over the next two years.

      Even under the budget Doyle just signed, the state is expected
to face at least a $2.2 billion shortfall for his successor to deal
with.


      Doyle will be remembered for the budget problems he faced, said
Franklin.

      "At this point I don't see a huge policy legacy he can point
to," he said. "He was so constrained by circumstances."

Wisconsin Gov. Doyle not running again

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox