Jan 5, 2008 2:17 pm US/Central
Wisconsin Governor Endorses Obama
State's Primary Is Late, But May Be Important For Determining Nominee
MADISON, Wis. (AP) ―
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Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (File)
CBS
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Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., addresses a campaign rally at Concord's High School in Concord, N.H., on Saturday.
Emmanuel Dunand/Getty Images
Gov. Jim Doyle endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama for president on Saturday.
"I think he's really demonstrated that this is a unique candidacy," Doyle told The Associated Press. "It really has the capability of uniting this country that really hasn't happened in a long time."
Doyle's endorsement came just two days after Obama won the Iowa caucus, the first state in the nomination process.
Wisconsin isn't expected to be a player in the nomination process because its primary isn't until Feb. 19, which is late in the process. However, Wisconsin is a vital swing state in the general election. Democratic nominees -- Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 -- defeated President Bush here, but the margins of victory were narrow.
The governor's adopted son has already endorsed Obama. Gus Doyle, who is black, hosted a November visit to Madison by Obama organized by the University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter of Students for Barack Obama.
Obama also appeared on Doyle's behalf at a Milwaukee rally in October 2006 just before the governor won re-election.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a former congressman, endorsed Obama in April. Barrett was with the candidate in Des Moines on Thursday night when he won that state's caucus with 38 percent of the vote.
Other prominent Wisconsin Democrats have endorsed Obama's main rivals. Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton supports Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke backs John Edwards.
The state's two Democratic U.S. Senators -- Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold -- have not announced who they support.
Obama and the other candidates are now focusing on New Hampshire, where primary voters go to the polls Tuesday.
While Wisconsin's primary is late, if major candidates split the votes in earlier states, the outcome in Wisconsin could be important in determining a nominee.
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(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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