WisPolitics: Dems favor Clinton for vice president, Lautenschlager for AG in 2010

Contact: JR Ross
(608) 669-8418

STEVENS POINT -- Wisconsin Democratic activists favored U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton as Barack Obama's running mate this fall, with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson finishing a close second, according to the annual convention straw poll conducted by WisPolitics.com.

Attendees at this weekend's state party convention also favored former Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager to be the Democrats' nominee in 2010 to take on incumbent Republican J.B. Van Hollen for the state's top cop.

Forty-nine convention attendees wanted to see Obama select Clinton as his running mate, while 44 backed Richardson. Thirty-four supported former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, while 32 backed U.S. Sen. Jim Webb.

Lautenschlager, who served one term as attorney general and lost in the 2006 Dem primary to Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, also won last year's WisPolitics.com straw poll asking the same question about the attorney general's race. She received 100 votes this year, while Falk came in second with 63.

In this year's WisPolitics straw poll at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin convention in Stevens Point, 259 total ballots were cast by convention delegates, alternates and official guests. There were more than 600 official attendees at the convention.

Only one vote per person was allowed, and only ballots with one candidate marked in each category were counted. This poll in no way was endorsed by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

WisPolitics, since it was launched in 2000, has conducted straw polls at state Republican and Democratic party conventions and considers them but one measure of a candidate's popularity and viability.

Paper balloting was conducted Friday and Saturday at this year's convention.

WisPolitics.com is an independent non-partisan political news service based in Madison, Wis. WisPolitics also operates these companion sites: WisOpinion.com, WisBusiness.com and IowaPolitics.com.

2008 DEM CONVENTION STRAW POLL QUESTIONS, RESULTS
259 total ballots cast

1) Who would you like to see Barack Obama select as his vice presidential nominee?

--Hillary Clinton 49
--Bill Richardson 44
--John Edwards 34
--Jim Webb 32
--Wesley Clark 27
--Joe Biden 12
--Kathleen Sebelius 12
--Claire McCaskill 5
--Ed Rendell 5
--Chris Dodd 4
--Chuck Hagel 4
--Evan Bayh 3
--Tim Kaine 3
--Janet Napolitano 2
--Ted Strickland 2
--Brian Schweitzer 1
--Mark Warner 1
--No vote 3

Write-ins, 16 total
--Al Gore led with 4

2) If a 2010 primary for attorney general were being held today, which Democrat would you choose to be the party's nominee?

--Peg Lautenschlager 100
--Kathleen Falk 63
--Ron Kind 34
--Marc Marotta 14
--Jon Richards 13
--John Chisholm 6
--Matt Frank 4
--Brian Blanchard 3
--No vote 13

Write-ins, 9 total
--Bill Drengler led with 3