LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) – The winner of Tuesday's Republican US Senate Primary will square of against Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin – who is running unopposed.
Political Scientist Joe Heim says Baldwin has frequently drawn praise from liberal political groups for her voting record.
Heim says that's not surprising, considering she represents a district including the City of Madison.
"To be a Madison Democrat in Congress, you have to be fairly liberal," Heim says. "It's the most liberal city in Wisconsin. So if she fits that role and gets very high ratings from liberal groups, that can also be a weakness in a general election."
"If she's perceived by the public as being too liberal, it'll be hard for her to move to the middle and appeal to independents and moderates," Heim adds.
Baldwin's campaign web site calls her an advocate for universal healthcare, as well as for women's rights like equal pay.
The Congresswoman is also pro-choice on abortion, and supports President Obama's proposal to allow the Bush Tax Cuts to expire on Americans making greater than $250-thousand annually.
Heim says Baldwin's campaign strategy will now adapt according to which Republican emerges from Tuesday's primary.
Former Governor Tommy Thompson, businessman Eric Hovde, Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald and Former Congressman Mark Neumann are all vying for the nomination.
"Because they're such different people, she can attack them in different ways," Heim says. "She's going to argue that Neumann is too extreme and too far to the right."
"In Thompson's case, she'll probably have to do something like call him a has-been politician, or one that's been in office too long, and essentially play up the fact that he's older," Heim says. "She'll say that he's the past and she's the future."
