Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton dropped out of the 2010 gubernatorial race Monday, citing ""very personal"" reasons for her decision.
""My deep commitment to our state is second only to my commitment to my family,"" Lawton said in a letter to supporters. ""For very personal reasons, I will not pursue the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010.""
Prior to this announcement, Lawton was the only declared Democratic candidate in the race. However, UW-Madison political science professor emeritus Dennis Dresang said her absence will not change the race drastically.
""I don't think anybody thought that the lieutenant governor had it locked up,"" he said.
Dresang said this news will not necessarily have much of an effect on the declared Republican candidates, including Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former congressman Mark Neumann.
""It's hard to say whether the Republicans should be celebrating or whether or not this is pretty much a non-story for them.""
Jill Bader, communications director for Walker's campaign, said they ""were surprised this morning,"" but that they are ""continuing to focus on November just as we always have.""
Although Lawton cited family reasons for her decision, the Republican Party of Wisconsin released a statement Monday suggesting they believe the cause was political.
""Governor Doyle and the White House were successful in derailing Lawton's candidacy, no doubt paving the way for their handpicked successor in the Democrats' primary,"" the statement said.
The RPW would not point to any one person in particular as the ""handpicked successor,"" but Kristin Ruesch, communications director of the RPW, said she ""wouldn't be surprised if it was Barrett.""
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has yet to announce whether he will run for the Democratic nomination, but according to Barrett's Finance Chair, Stephen Chernof, he will make his decision in one or two weeks.
Dresang said that it is not yet clear that Barrett will run.
""I think the real question from the start has been ‘What is Tom Barrett going to do?,'"" he said. ""It has always been wide open for the Democrats, and it still is.""
