Will a Democratic candidate please stand up?

Since Governor Jim Doyle announced he was not seeking a third term, most of our news about candidates have been who is NOT running.  Today there was a surprising one added to the list.

The Republicans have two candidates, Scott Walker and Mark Neumann.  So far the Democrats only have people saying they won’t run, Rep’s Ron Kind and Paul Ryan, and State Sen. Jon Erpenbach among them.

When Doyle made his announcement aides close to Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton said she would run.  She has said in the past that she was interested, and she won a straw poll at the Democratic Convention by a landslide.  But today Lawton announced she will not run.  Citing ‘very personal reasons’ the Lt. is now part of the not-running crowd.  It’s surprising to me, and I’m guessing many others across the state, and now leaves even more question marks for the Dems.

The front runner now looks like Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (fresh off his state fair mauling).  Speaker Mike Sheridan, also surprised by the announcement, has said Barrett would make a great candidate.  We’ll see.

It just makes me wonder.  There are several names, Kind and Lawton among them, who have always seemed ambitious and chomping at the bit for higher office, so why are they shying away now?  There feels like there is something else happening here.  Maybe we’ll find out down the road.

More Later