WISCONSIN 11 Electoral Votes
Bush-Cheney Gore-Lieberman
Campaign Campaign
Bush-Cheney State Chair: Gov. Tommy Thompson
Bush-Cheney Exec. Director: Darrin Schmitz
...from Wascott, WI (90 miles from St. Paul, MN).  Before the campaign was press secretary to Gov. Thompson; worked on Thompson's 1998 re-election campaign; speechwriter for Thompson.
Field Rep.: Virginia Gunderson
Office: 3205 E. Washington, Madison

Victory 2000 run out of the state party (Rod Hise, Exec. Director).

Republican Party of Wisconsin
Chairman: Rick Graber
Exec. Dir.: Rod Hise
Office: 148 E. Johnson St., Madison

Gore-Lieberman State Director: Teresa Vilmain
...from Verona, just south of Madison, but has extensive national political experience including general consultant to Tom Vilsack's gubernatorial campaign in Iowa in 1998; Wisconsin state director for Clinton/Gore 96; consultant for the Human Rights Campaign's OutVote 96 project; political director of Emily's List, campaign manager for Geraldine Ferraro's 1992 U.S. Senate race, work on the Iowa caucuses for Gary Hart in 1987 and Michael Dukakis in 1988.
Political Director: Jessica Smith; Press Secretary: John Kraus
[Angelique Pirozzi laid the groundwork for the campaign starting May 15].
Office: 222 State St., Suite 400, Madison (Dem. Party Headquarters)

Coordinated Campaign Director: Angelique Pirozzi

Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Chairman: Terri Spring
Exec. Dir.: Tom Young
Office: 222 State St. Suite 400, Madison

Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7)
GWB: 9 visits
DC: 4 visits
Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7)
AG: 6 visits
JL: 6 visits
Nov. 6 noon -- GWB rally at the KI Convention Center, Green Bay. Nov. 6 -- JL attends rally at Logan High School gymnasium, La Crosse.  
Nov. 5 -- AG and TG evening rally at Signature Flight Support, General Mitchell Int'l Airport, Milwaukee.
Nov. 4 -- 1. DC and LC Victory 2000 Rally at Menard Hangar, Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, Eau Claire.  2. DC and LC Victory 2000 Rally at Airfest Hangar, La Crosse Airport, La Crosse.
Nov. 2 evening -- GWB and LB on "Bringing America Together" tour (pres. drugs) Victory 2000 rally in the Dairy Cattle Barn at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis (Milwaukee County). Nov. 2 -- JL attends GOTV event at UAW Hall Local 72 in Kenosha.
Oct. 30 -- AG and TG, JL and HL "Great Lakes Prosperity Tour" day two (caravan of 12 buses and assorted other vehicles): 1. Rally at Brown County Courthouse, Green Bay.  2. Rally in the gymnasium at Goodrich Senior High School, Fond du Lac.  3. Rally including singer Jon Bon Jovi at Cutler Park, Waukesha.  Brief stops along the way, including Manitowoc and Chilton.
Oct. 28 a.m.-- GWB, DC rally at Fox Cities baseball stadium in Appleton.
Oct. 26 -- AG rally at State Capitol Square, Madison (drew one of Gore's biggest crowds of the campaign).
Oct. 23 -- GWB and LB at "'W' Stands for Women" rally at Bruce Auditorium in Milwaukee. (Lynne Cheney, Cindy McCain, Condoleezza Rice also present despite earlier difficulties with their plane). 
Oct. 20 -- DC speaks on military at Bay Beach Pavilion in Green Bay.
Oct. 18 -- 1. GWB airport welcome at Chippewa Valley Airport, Eau Claire.  2. GWB remarks at E.O. Johnson in Eau Claire.  3. GWB Victory 2000 rally at La Crosse Center, La Crosse. Oct. 18 -- JL makes remarks on protecting our environment, BlueGill Bay Park, Wausau.
Oct. 13 -- 1. (a.m.) DC and LC discuss "Agenda for the Greatest Generation" at Colonial Club Senior Activity Center, Sun Prairie (Madison).  2. (early afternoon) -- DC Victory 2000 welcome at Wausau-Mosinee Paper Corporation Aviation Department, Wausau.  3. (afternoon) DC rally, receives endorsements of law enforcement officials at Texx's Victory Hall, Cudahy.
Oct. 12 -- AG and TG address voters, Cathedral Park Square, Milwaukee.
Oct. 5 -- GWB and LB participate in One-on-One at McKinley Elementary School, Appleton.
Sept. 28 -- GWB and LB One-on-One at TOSCA, Limited, Green Bay.
Sept. 27 -- JL attends discussion with seniors regarding prescription drugs, Wilson Park Senior Center in Milwaukee, then attends Democratic Party of Wisconsin luncheon at private residence, Milwaukee.
Sept. 6 -- GWB remarks at 82nd American Legion national convention, Midwest Express Center, Milwaukee.
Aug. 22 -- AG addresses the 101st VFW national convention at Midwest Express Center, Milwaukee.
Aug. 21 -- GWB speech to 101st Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention at Midwest Express Center, Milwaukee.
Aug. 18 -- AG and TG, JL and HL first stop after the Democratic Convention: launch of "Setting Course for America's Future" Riverboat Tour with a rally at Riverside Park in La Crosse; stop to greet supporters at Lawler Park in Prairie du Chien.
A Sampling of More Campaign Activity A Sampling of More Campaign Activity
Nov. 2-3 -- Wisconsin Victory 2000 bus tour (starts in Wausau).

Nov. 1 -- Lynne Cheney discusses Social Security and Medicare with seniors at the Atrium (a retirement apartment community) in Racine.

Oct. 31 -- Foreign policy advisor Condoleezza Rice visits Marquette University.

Oct. 31 -- "Gore Detectors" [Gov. John Rowland (CT), Gov. William Janklow (SD) and Gov. James Gilmore (VA), state Sen. Ken Armbrister (D-TX) and senior economic policy advisor Larry Lindsey] hold press conferences in Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Wauwatosa the day after Gore's visit.

Oct. 27 -- Barbara Bush speaks at Waunakee Manor Health Care Center.

Oct. 24 -- "Barnstorm for Reform" -- Govs. Huckabee (AR), Taft (OH) and Guinn (NV) and Texas Democrat Judge John Hill (ret.), joined by Gov. Thompson, at Prairie Elementary School in Waunakee (just north of Madison).

Oct. 23 -- 'W' Stands for Women rally at Cottage Grove School in Cottage Grove [Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney and Cindy McCain unable to attend due to mechanical difficulties with their plane].

Oct. 19 -- Wisconsin Bush-Cheney announces Students for Bush-Cheney leadership (state director is Jeffrey Dub at the University of Oshkosh).

Oct. 6 -- Bo Derek campaigns for Bush in the Wausau area, including an appearance at the Midway Best Western Hotel in Rib Mountain. 

Oct. 6 -- "Wisconsin Monument Tour 2000" -- more than 100 motorcycle rides, including Gov. Thompson and Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell ride across central Wisconsin in support of Bush and Republican candidates (WI Victory 2000 event).

Oct. 2 --  Lynne Cheney participates in Victory 2000 Rally at the Russell Cleary Alumni and Friends Center at UW-La Crosse, meets with students parents and teachers at Wilson Elementary School in Wauwatosa, attends Wisconsin Victory 2000 fundraiser at Country Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Pewaukee. 

Sept. 27 -- Wisconsin Bush-Cheney announces formation of Wisconsin Farmers for Bush (co-chairs are Ben Brancel and Dan Paulson) as part of the national rollout of Farmers and Ranchers for Bush-Cheney.

Sept. 17 -- Wisconsin headquarters opening in Madison; Gov. Thompson promotes Bush's recently released "Blueprint for the Middle Class." 
 

Allies
NRA -- On Oct. 30, NRA President Charlton Heston, Exec. VP Wayne LaPierre and chief lobbyist James J. Baker, on their Get Out the Vote tour, hold a mid-day rally at Regency Suites-KI Convention Center in Green Bay and an evening rally at Country Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Waukesha.

Nov. 6 -- DNC national chair Joe Andrew and Texas Democratic party chair Molly Beth Malcolm hold a press conference at Democratic party headquarters in Green Bay in response to Bush's appearance at KI Convention Center.

Nov. 6 -- Actor Jimmy Smits makes a number of stops in Milwaukee to encourage the Hispanic vote.

Nov. 6 -- Jesse Jackson and Cher hold a rally at Sellery Hall dorm at UW-Madison in Madison.

Nov. 6 -- Jesse Jackson at Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee.

Nov. 4 -- Star Jones and black leaders rally at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Nov. 4 -- Comedian Al Franken get out the vote rally at Milwaukee County Labor Council.

Nov. 3 -- Karenna Gore Schiff rallies at UW-Rock County in Janesville.

Oct. 31 -- (5:30 p.m.) Tipper Gore addresses supporters and undecided voters at UW-Superior.

Oct. 31 -- Sec. of Education Richard Riley speaks for Gore at UW-Parkside in Kenosha and Beloit College in Beloit.

Oct. 31 -- Progressive Voter Rally at UW-Madison, incudes feminist Gloria Steinem (Voters for Choice), Sierra Club president Robbie Cox, NARAL vice president Alice Germond and David Smith of Human Rights Campaign.  Steinem also spoke at UW-Milwaukee in the evening.

Oct. 29 -- Celebrities--director Rob Reiner, actors Martin Sheen and Dule Hill ("The West Wing"), actress Christine Lahti ("Chicago Hope") and actress Alfre Woodard--campaign for Gore at UW-Madison (part of a multi-state tour).

Oct. 25-26 -- Kristin Gore tours university campuses, including Oct. 25: UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh; Oct.26: St. Norbert College in De Pere, introduces father at the big rally in Madison.

Oct. 24 -- Jesse Jackson get out the vote appearances at George Bray Neighborhood Center and at Gateway Technical College in Racine.

Oct. 23 -- DNC general chair Ed Rendell unveils the DNC's 10-minute video on Bush at a news conference in Milwaukee, one of dozens of such events around the country.  Oct. 24 -- Rendell in Madison.

Oct. 20 -- Jesse Jackson breakfast at Holy Redeemer Church in Milwaukee and rally at UW-Madison's Library Mall.

Oct. 16 -- (5 p.m.) Tipper Gore attends an activist event at Franklin Elementary School in Appleton.

Oct. 15 -- Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Gore environmental adviser Katie McGinty at "Environmental Speak Out" rally at UW-Madison; Oct. 16 -- McGinty holds press conference on Bush's environmental record at the State Capitol in Madison.

Oct. 6 -- Bill Bradley campaigns for Gore-Lieberman, holding a press conference at Leisure Center in Menomonie and rallying with students at Davies Center Theater at UW-Eau Claire.

Sept. 19 -- Karenna Gore Schiff and Rebecca Lieberman host an "At the Table" discussion at Canterbury Booksellers Cafe in Madison; they then address supporters at Memorial Union Terrace at the University of Wisconsin.

Sept. 13 -- Wisconsin Students for Gore and AG Jim Doyle hold a press conference to endorse Gore and his education plans at the Madison campaign office at 317 West Gorham Street.

Sept. 12 -- Gore-Lieberman 2000 announces that more than 550 educators from across Wisconsin endorse Gore.

Sept. 10 -- Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Tammy Baldwin rally at UW-Madison's Library Mall.

Sept. 7 -- Hadassah Lieberman, in her first solo campaign trip on behalf of the Gore-Lieberman ticket, does three events in Milwaukee: Participates in a roundtable discussion on women's issues at Legacy Bank, then walks to Lena's Food Market for a visit; in the afternoon meets supporters at Lopez Bakery.

Allies
AFL-CIO -- On Nov. 6 AFL-CIO President John Sweeney made several stops in Wisconsin: International Paper in Kaukauna, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 873 hall and John Deere plant in Horicon; Oscar Mayer plant in Madison; and General Motors plant and UAW Local 95 hall in Janesville. 

Television Television
According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG Eye, Jan. 2001) during the general election, June 1 to Nov. 7, the Bush campaign and the RNC ran about 6,700 ads in Wisconsin, putting the state seventh behind Florida, Ohio, Penn., Michigan, Washington and California.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice (Dec. 11, 2000 report), the Bush campaign, Republican party and supportive groups spent a total of $2,987,561 on TV advertising for the presidential race in Wisconsin from June 1 to Nov. 7, 2000.

According to the Brennan Center (Oct. 30, 2000 report), Green Bay was one of the top markets in terms of number of presidential ads run.  For the week of Oct. 17-24, the Green Bay market ranked tenth in the total number of presidential ads run; the Center tallied 745 presidential spots: 288 from Bush, GOP, and supportive groups.

According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG Eye, Jan. 2001) during the general election, June 1 to Nov. 7, the Gore campaign and the DNC ran about 8,800 ads in Wisconsin, putting the state fifth behind Penn., Ohio, Florida and Michigan. 

According to the Brennan Center for Justice (Dec. 11, 2000 report), the Gore campaign, Democratic party and supportive groups spent a total of $3,739,636 on TV advertising for the presidential race in Wisconsin from June 1 to Nov. 7, 2000.

According to the Brennan Center (Oct. 30, 2000 report), Green Bay was one of the top markets in terms of number of presidential ads run.  For the week of Oct. 17-24, the Green Bay market ranked tenth in the total number of presidential ads run; the Center tallied 745 presidential spots: 457 from Gore, Democratic, and supportive groups.

Some Newspaper Endorsements Some Newspaper Endorsements
Wisconsin State Journal --10/29/00
Green Bay Press Gazette --10/27/00
La Crosse Tribune --10/31/00
Beloit Daily News
The Chippewa Herald
The Janesville Gazette
Marinette Eagle Herald
Marshfield News Herald
Oshkosh Northwestern
Stevens Point Journal
Wausau Daily Herald
Capital Times (Madison)--11/3/00
Appleton Post Crescent
Ashland Daily Press
Fond du Lac Reporter
Kenosha News
Racine Journal Times
Sheboygan Press
Newspapers that did not Endorse in the Presidential Race
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel --11/04/00
"the men and women on this newspaper's Editorial Board have not developed a clear consensus on a recommendation for president this year."
Eau Claire Leader Telegram 
Newspaper Endorsements Source: WisPolitics.com
 
Miscellaneous Notes Miscellaneous Notes
Charges of voting irregularities in Milwaukee County drew attention, although they seem to have been isolated incidents.  As described in a Nov. 5 Republican Party of Wisconsin press release, "The Gore campaign workers Saturday [Nov. 4] were caught on videotape by a news crew from Milwaukee TV station WISN giving packs of cigarettes to homeless voters they had transported by van to cast absentee ballots."  Other reports concerned Marquette students voting multiple times.  RPW filed a formal complaint with the State Elections Board on Nov. 6; as the reported irregularities involved criminal actions, the party then asked Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann to investigate (Nov. 10 and Nov. 28).  A voter fraud hotline that the RPW established on Nov. 9 received hundreds of calls.  There was talk of a recount, but on Nov. 22 Bush-Cheney chairman Don Evans said the campaign would not seek a recount in Wisconsin. 

The Cheneys have Wisconsin ties: Dick Cheney pursued a doctoral degree from 1966-68 at University of Wisconsin, and worked for a time as an aide to then Gov. Warren Knowles; he left to do a fellowship with Rep. William Steiger (R-WI).  Lynne Cheney obtained her Ph.D. at University of Wisconsin in 19th century British literature.

The Nader vote did not cost Gore Wisconsin, as some had predicted it might.  Nader achieved 5.60% of the vote (13,030 of 232,739 votes) in Dane County (Madison) but more typical was his showing in the most populous county, Milwaukee County, where he could only manage 3.22% (13,953 of 433,537 votes). 

In the closing weeks, Gore allies sought to discourage Nader support.  For example, Jesse Jackson made three visits. Wisconsin was also one of the states in which NARAL ran its TV spot which warned that "Voting for Ralph Nader helps elect George W. Bush" (starting Oct. 26). 

Wisconsin was the state in which Bill Bradley, Gore's erstwhile challenger in the Democratic primaries, finally delivered his endorsement; the event took place on July 13, 2000 at Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay.


Nader-LaDuke
Ralph Nader made stops in Milwaukee and Madison on Sept. 20 as part of his "Midwestern Non-Voter Tour" with Michael Moore.  He met with local Black and Latino leaders on issues of race at UW-Milwaukee, then did a speech and rally with Moore at UW-Milwaukee Student Union.  Later he participated in a Night Rally for Open Debates, again with Moore, at the Orpheum in Madison.

Nader appeared in the state again on Nov. 1, rallying on the steps of the State Capitol in Madison at noon and taping MSNBC's "Hardball" with Chris Matthews at the Orpheum Theatre, then holding a "Super Rally" with Winona LaDuke and former presidential candidate John Anderson at Milwaukee Auditorium in Milwaukee.

Winona LaDuke visited north central Wisconsin on Oct. 18-19 doing an "Honor The Earth Tour" focusing on the proposed Crandon metallic sulfide mine, transmission lines and dams.  On Oct. 18 she along with Annie Humphrey, Jackson Browne and the Indigo Girls appeared at UW-Stevens Point; on Oct. 19 she attended a hearing in Crandon on the proposed mine and the tour stopped at Menominee High School in Keshena (Menominee Nation).

Assessing the results, Wisconsin Green Party co-spokesman John Peck observed,

"Our highest Nader/LaDuke turnout was actually in some of the remote rural corners of the state--people there have stronger populist heritage, are much less susceptible to scare tactics, and the Nader/LaDuke ticket most directly addressed their concerns about corporate power.  ...The farm crisis, copper sulfide mining, corporate water extraction schemes (ie, Nestle/Perrier) and high voltage powerlines are all major rural issues in WI right now--none of which were addressed by the Republicratic candidates."
(Nader, in his "Letter to Farmers," stated, "No one sector of our economic system has felt the disastrous affects of corporate concentration, power and control more than our nation’s family farmers.")  The Nader-LaDuke ticket obtained five percent of the vote or more in ten of the state's 72 counties (Portage 6.4%   Bayfield 6.2%  Burnett 6.1%   Pierce 6.0%   Dunn 5.7%   Dane 5.6%   Vernon 5.2%   Polk 5.1%   Eau Claire 5.1%   Barron 5.0%).

Nader/LaDuke achieved showings of 18 -19% in some wards of Madison and Stevens Point, which Peck described as "historically progressive districts that have high numbers of students, middle class union folks, LGBTs, etc."  Peck continued:

"Though we did not do as well among people of color in Milwaukee as we hoped, we did have some very strong African-American and Latino organizers working on the Nader/LaDuke campaign there.  Mileka Aljuwani and Robert Miranda are two notables.  Mileka's pro-Nader/LaDuke "Black Truth" newsletter that she circulated in inner city Milwaukee got rave reviews.  Here in Madison, our best outreach was through tabling at farmers' markets and direct door-to-door canvassing--something the Republicrats didn't do since they only wanted to get out their own party loyalists.  It was almost certainly the high Nader/LaDuke vote in Dane County and the UW-Madison campus that gave Rep. Tammy Baldwin her slim margin of victory..."
Nader State Coordinator: Ben Manski
Office: The campaign officially opened its state headquarters on State Street in Madison on Sept. 1.

Wisconsin Green Party
15-person Coordinating Council -- Co-spokespersons: Amy Mondlach (Oshkosh), John Peck (Madison)
 

Buchanan. Pat Buchanan visited Wisconsin on Oct. 16; he did a speech and Q & A at UW-Marathon County in Wausau, and focused on foreign affairs in a speech and Q & A at Marquette University in Milwaukee.
 

Browne. Harry Browne visited Wisconsin on Sept. 13-14.  On Sept. 13 he and his campaign road team drove from Iowa City, Iowa to La Crosse where he did media and spoke at the Radisson Hotel (according to the campaign 117 people attended the rally).  On Sept. 14 he and his team drove to Milwaukee where he did media and spoke at the American Serb Hall to "a little over 200 people."
Libertarian Party of Wisconsin
Chairman: Robert Collison (Brookfield)
 

Phillips. Howard Phillips did not visit Wisconsin during the fall.  His only Wisconsin campaign visit occurred on June 10, when he was the keynote speaker at the 2000 Constitution Party of Wisconsin State Convention Banquet.
Constitution Party of Wisconsin
Chairman: Ed Frami (Dousman)
 

Copyright 2000, 2001  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.