George W. Bush’s deplorable veto of embryonic stem cell research is already having a big political impact beyond the Beltway.

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, locked in a vicious battle with his GOP opponent, Congressman Mark Green, is touting his own leadership on stem cells and attacking Green as an out-of-touch extremist.

The University of Wisconsin is one of America’s premier research institutions investigating the potential life-saving power of stem cells. Wisconsinites overwhelmingly support stem cell research, so Green’s bow to the religious right could well hurt him in November.

Recent polls show the race is a toss-up, with the independent Rasmussen poll showing Doyle up 47%-41%, and the Republican Strategic Vision outfit showing Doyle up 43%-42%.