With a primary victory behind him and a growing lead in the polls, Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson is posing an increasing threat to three term U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., sparking one of the most contentious senatorial races in the country.
The two candidates have sparred not just over policy, but everything from each other's campaign ads to the debate schedule.
Johnson, who won the Republican Senatorial nomination easily over Watertown businessman Dave Westlake and Milwaukee plumber Stephen Finn, recently released an ad titled ""18 Years,"" which accuses Feingold not only of being a ""career politician,"" but also of never having a job outside of the political world.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Feingold campaign requested Johnson drop the ad, as Feingold had worked as lawyer before entering politics,
Feingold published an inflammatory advertisement called ""His Own Words,"" which claims Johnson sought governmental aid for his plastics manufacturing business, PACUR. The Johnson campaign said in a statement that the ad misstated the facts.
However Feingold, who trailed Johnson by seven points in the most recent Rasmussen poll, is looking to gain ground on Johnson in the debates. Feingold requested six debates from his Republican competitor, including one in Madison on Oct 22.
Johnson agreed to three of them, but changed the location of the Oct. 22 debate to Marquette University in Milwaukee.
UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said Johnson's committing to even that many is surprising, considering a debate with Feingold could put him in a vulnerable position.
""Any newcomer to politics would be intimated by going up next to an 18-year veteran such as Feingold,"" Franklin said. ""No matter what you say about Feingold on the right, I don't think anybody says he is anything but damn smart.""
Although Feingold will have his chance to shine at the debates, Franklin said he will have a tough time in this political climate escaping his liberal reputation.
""His generally unpredictable and maverick voting record does mean that he is not a doctrinaire democrat, but it doesn't translate into cutting him some slack on the right,"" Franklin said.
