Now that the One Minivan Tour has rolled into America’s Dairyland, it’s worth taking a quick peak at three of the hottest races in Wisconsin this fall.

GOVERNOR: A hard-charging challenge from hard-right Congressman Mark Green notwithstanding, Governor Jim Doyle still leads by a few points according to the latest Republican poll. Democrats won’t be able to rest easy before Election Day, because this one is definitely coming down to the wire.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Democratic Dane County Commissioner Kathleen Falk is one of the talented and articulate players in Wisconsin politics. Nevertheless, Christian fundamentalist Republican nominee J.B. Van Hollen is running a strong race for the GOP. Touting his prosecutorial experience, endorsements from law enforcement (including seven “Democratic” County Sheriffs), and some labor groups, Van Hollen is threatening to become the most reactionary Top Cop in Wisconsin history. A recent poll gives Falk the lead, but this race could also have voters and activists up ’til the wee hours on Election Night.

CONGRESS, 8TH DISTRICT: Democratic Doctor and Businessman Steve Kagen is running a great campaign to pick up a much-needed seat for the Democrats in this Green Bay-based district. GOP Assembly Speaker John Gard is the repugnant Republican version of D.C.’s Denny Hastert and the Culture of Corruption. Among recent shenanigans, John Gard forced anti-death penalty Republicans to be suspiciously absent from the Assembly Floor when voting to place an advisory referendum on the issue on this November’s ballot. One Republican chalked up her absence to a nasty bout of diarrhea contracted at an unnamed pizza parlor! John Gard needs to go down, and various polls have suggested Kagen has a small lead.

All of these swing state races will be very close, so if your wallet isn’t already empty for this cycle, help these Wisconsin candidates win today! And stay on the lookout for the Wisconsin episode coming soon.

As the Republican House of Cards threatens to blow over from a strong wind of corruption and incompetence at the federal level, it’s easy to forget how important the many hotly contested gubernatorial contests are this year.

The prospect of more Democratic governors isn’t nearly as sexy as the idea of Democrats running one or both houses of Congress. Yet much of the progressive change that happens in America takes place at the state level.

Wisconsin and Ohio exemplify just how important gubernatorial elections can be to the culture and economic future of the States. Last night’s gubernatorial debate in Milwaukee was an impressive battle between two polished politicos: Governor Jim Doyle and Congressman Mark Green. One of Doyle’s most devastating arguments was his blunt warning that many researchers will simply look elsewhere for jobs if Mark green wins the election. Although Wisconsin is the original home of stem cell research, the Christianist wing of the GOP controls the state legislature. Mark Green tries to pretend he’s in favor of stem-cell research, but he’s a rabidly anti-choice candidate who opposes abortions even in the case of rape or incest, as well as any medical advances that Jerry Falwell wouldn’t approve of. Jim Doyle represents a high-tech future of medical progress; Mark Green promises only a Bible and more tax cuts for special interests to grow Wisconsin.

In Ohio, Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell is easily the most extreme candidate nominated for governor in the history of the state. Blackwell is militantly anti-gay and anti-choice; much of Ohio’s GLBT community will feel unable to stay if he wins. College professors who happen to be gay have already fled Ohio since voters passed a gay marriage ban in 2004. The constitutional amendment bans not only gay marriage but equal benefits to gay state employees. Luckily, since Democrat Ted Strickland has a double-digit lead in every poll taken, this shouldn’t come to pass.

Americans vote with their feet, and unless Ohio and Wisconsin go blue this fall, both states will be drained of some of their most economically productive citizens. Neither state’s economy can afford such a body blow.

From Political Wire:

In Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race, the latest Research 2000 Wisconsin Poll shows Gov. Jim Doyle (D) beating Rep. Mark Green (R-WI), 49% to 41%.

Mark Green is just too extreme to be Governor.

Congressional incumbents seeking to move up to the Senate or their local governor’s mansion have long had a unique advantage: they can roll over donations made by Federal Political Action Committees (PACs) to run for the new office. This quasi-incumbent status fails an intuitive test of fundamental fairness since politicians are using donations they got running for one office to seek a promotion instead. Mark Green is a prime beneficiary of this loophole in 2006.

Well, in the great state of Wisconsin, this process has apparently come to an end. By a 5-2 vote, The Wisconsin Board of Elections has ruled any donations by Federal PACs not registered in Wisconsin at the time of the donation constitute illegal donations. The shrill cry of partisanship from the Green campaign was predictable. Yet it is too early for Democrats to celebrate: Green claims the money has already been spent and it may be difficult to recoup PAC funds from the Green campaign. Nevertheless, this can’t make Mark Green’s brutal battle to knock out Jim Doyle any easier.

It looks like Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle may yet fend off Republican Governor Mark Green in November. A recent independent poll by Rasmussen shows Doyle up by a 49%-41% margin.

Mark Green’s first ad was undeniably cute, and may even be effective. Yet the ad was purely defensive, and taking beaming pride in one’s own lawn-mowing abilities isn’t a great rationale for being a state’s chief executive. Jim Doyle may not be the most popular governor in America, but Mark Green will need to run a more clearly-defined campaign to convince America’s Dairyland to get rid of Doyle.

So far in the “Matthew Slutsky 2006 Ad Watch Competition” Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin is in the lead. His ad entitled “Six Times” is in my opinion the best Democratic ad of the cycle so far. I especially like the ending when he proclaims:

“Mark Green is too extreme to be Governor.”

Now, Mark Green is firing back. And, I must say it’s a clever ad.

It’s called “Extreme Family.” Check it out here:

Update: This ad is airing at a time when the campaigns are tied in the most recent statewide poll.

THIS is a great political television ad from Jim Doyle out in Wisconsin. Please take a look and if you’re a media consultant- take notes. It’s an emotional ad but not exploitative.

Also, I love the tag line “Mark Green is too extreme!”

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%.

A recent Badger Poll done by the University of Wisconsin’s Survey Center shows incumbent Democratic Governor Jim Doyle leading his Republican challenger Congressman Mark Green by a margin of 49% to 36%.

Don’t buy it. Aside from the obvious methodological problems, there is no chance Jim Doyle has a double-digit lead in this race. Polls that show Doyle and Green neck-and-neck are likely much more accurate.

Jim Doyle struggles from the (incorrect) perception that he has accomplished little during his tenure. He lacks charisma and charm, and while conservatives hate him, liberals have mixed feelings at best when it comes to their fearless leader. This one will go down to the wire and probably hinge on turn out. Wisconsin will be in for a rough ride if Doyle loses. The state legislature is currently dominated by the fundamentalist wing of the Republican Party, although Democrats have a real shot at retaking the Senate. Here’s hoping this poll is more accurate than not.

Check out the latest Strategic Vision Poll which shows Governor Doyle of Wisconsin in a bit of trouble in his bid for re-election. Results show Doyle just barely beating Scott Walker (R) 44% to 40% among likely voters.

Also interesting in this poll, when asked if they’d like Senator Russ Feingold to run for President, the results were:

Yes 50%
No 33%
Undecided 17%

To read more about Feingold’s Presidential PAC, click here.