Walker, Neumann Take Aim At Madison

Running against Madison with its major university, and state payrolls, has been standard GOP playbook fare, but this year the Republican candidates for Governor especially have Madison in their sights.

Both Scott Walker and Mark Neumann oppose the expansion of high-speed Amtrak rail that would restore train service to Madison and better link the city to bigger economies in Chicago, Milwaukee and the Twin Cities.

And both candidates support restrictions on stem cell research recently laid down by a Federal Judge that would cost that signature UW Madison scientific effort millions in grants and spin-off growth.

Republicans usually target the capital city, a Democratic stronghold, and the UW-Madison, to stir up the out-state base, but this time the candidates are aiming directly at Madison's jobs' base.

So there's your 2010 GOP gubernatorial campaign slogan:

'"Send me to Madison so I can wreck the economy."