Milwaukee Issues Weigh Heavily on Doyle Re-Elect Chances by James Rowen.

Rowen, who worked for former Milwaukee mayor John Norquist, knows what he's talking about when he says Democratic governor Jim Doyle needs Milwaukee voters to be passionate about his re-election. Sen. Russ Feingold is certainly more liberal than Doyle, yet Feingold just won a third term easily defeating opponent Tim Michels.

Doyle needs to take on the state Department of Transportation (DOT), a state agency which, as Rowen points out, recently awarded a $685,000 no-bid contract for a website about the reconstruction of the Marquette interchange in downtown Milwaukee. When's the last time any of you web designers out there saw a nice gig like that?

Doyle's biggest threat likely comes from a potential challenge from Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. Walker won in a special election back in 2002 after a pension scandal at the county. Yet Walker, a Republican, is on record in favor of freeway expansion in the city and although he claims to be a staunch defender of taxpayer dollars, hasn't spoken out about the Marquette website deal or the bloated budget at the state DOT itself.

If Doyle takes on the DOT and the roadbuilders, he may lose a few campaign contributions, but he will earn the respect of city residents who oppose major freeway expansion and state residents who want their tax dollars spent more wisely.