In his official campaign kickoff this morning, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Terrence Wall touted his job creation credentials and said incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold is a "Monday morning quarterback" who has failed to lead during his 18 years in Washington.

Wall held the first of seven events over the next two days at FlameDisk in Middleton, a company owned by Sologear. Wall is an investor in Sologear.

Wall said he's running because he's sees the "American Dream" eroding. He said lawmakers in Washington are not helping Main Street businesses.

"Washington and Wall Street formed a mutual support group to help each other," Wall said.

Wall, a real estate developer, said in his 20 years in business he has helped create "thousands of jobs" with his building projects.

"I've helped build this state," he said. "And unlike Washington, I have created thousands of jobs. Unlike my opponent, I have helped businesses in Wisconsin."

Wall said Feingold has "campaigned one way in Wisconsin and voted a different way in Washington." And he took shots at Feingold's maverick image, saying the Middleton Dem votes with leadership nine out of 10 times.

"He holds listening sessions around the state but he doesn't listen," he said.

Wall said voters are tired of government spending and intervention run amok.

"Only private enterprise has built this country into the success that it is, not big government," he said.

Feingold's campaign issued a statement yesterday wishing his GOP opponents well as they gear up for their September primary and expressing hope they will do what he's done, "visit all 72 counties, listen to people, and meet with voters face to face."

Answering a question about reports that he paid nothing in personal state income tax in four of the last five years, Wall accused Feingold of engaging "in the politics of personal destruction."

"I have paid every penny of tax I owe," Wall said, adding that his businesses have paid $65 million in state taxes in the last 10 years.

"I want to talk about the issues. People are tired of the politics of personal destruction," he said.