James Doyle - Democrat

Current Position: Governor,
State of Wisconsin, 2003 to present

Other Public Sector Positions:

• Dane County District Attorney,
  1977-82
• Wisconsin Attorney General,
  1990-2003

Private Sector Experience:

• Private Law Practice, 1982-90
• Teacher, Peace Corp, Tunisia, Africa, 1967-1968

Law Degree: J.D., Harvard Law School, 1972

Undergrad: Stanford University, 3 years;
B.A., UW-Madison, 1967

Born: Nov. 23, 1945, Madison, Wisconsin

Family: Married, 2 children 

ISSUES

Legal Reform

Generally opposes legal reform.

Vetoed the following bills as Governor:

• To restore traditional causation requirement in mass torts cases and limit “risk contribution theory”

• To heighten the standards for the award of punitive damages

• To strengthen the standards for the admission of expert opinion evidence

• To eliminate the “consumer expectation” test and other changes to product liability law

• To re-establish the cap ($450,000/$550,000 cap on noneceonomic damages in medical malpractice cases

Signed the following bills as Governor:

• To establish a $750,000 cap on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases

• To limit lawsuits based on weight gain or obesity

Health Care

Generally inclined to government driven solutions.

Medical Assistance (MA):

• Expand Family Care (LTC Program)

• Expand eligibility in BadgerCare to cover all children and allow adults to “buy-in”

• Supports continuation of SeniorCare prescription drug program.

Private Sector Insurance & Other

• Opposes HSA tax deduction   

• Supports tax deduction for 100% of individuals’ insurance expense

• Opposes lowering caps on medical malpractice non-economic damages

• Broadly supports stem cell research

Energy

Supports investment in infrastructure, reliable system, and renewable and alternative energy

Signed the following bills

• Allowing fixed rates of financing on large utility investments, creating regulatory and financial certainty for investors.

• Requiring local governments to grant easements for fair market value for high voltage lines when the Commission has granted a Certificate authorizing the project

• Moving ahead the WE energies power plant project resolving issues a Dane County circuit court had used to halt the project

• Energy efficiency and renewables bill creating a renewable mandate of 10% by 2015 and a state energy efficiency fund protected against raids by the governor and/or legislators

Other positions on energy-related issues

• Supports a 90% reduction in mercury emissions by utilities

• Supports 10% requirement for ethanol blend in gasoline in WI

• Supporter of renewable and alternative energy sources. Has proposed loan guarantees and low interest loans to leverage private investment in renewable energy production and use

Mark Green -
Republican

Current Position: U.S. Rep.,1999 to present

• House Republican Leadership Team - Majority Whip

Other Public Sector Positions:

• Wisconsin State Representative,
  1993-98; Chair, Assembly Committee on Judiciary, 1995-1998

Private Sector Experience:

• Private Law Practice, 1988-1998
• Teacher, World Teach Program, Kenya, Africa, 1987-1988

Law Degree: J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 1987

 Undergrad: B.A., UW-Eau Claire, 1983

 Born: June 1, 1960; Boston, Mass.

 Family: Married, 3 children

ISSUES

Legal reform

Strongly supports legal reform.

Has pledged to sign all of the bills vetoed by the Governor and listed in the opposite column.

In medical malpractice cases would sign legislation that:

• Would allow evidence of collateral source payments and permit reduction of some or all of the collateral source payments from the original award

• Make a statement of apology or condolence by a health care provider inadmissible into evidence

Has also pledged to sign legislation limiting the power of the Attorney General to bring lawsuits based on a “nuisance” theory.

Health Care

Generally inclined to market driven solutions.

Medical Assistance (MA):

• More emphasis on reform of existing program. (Establish Health Savings Accounts, increase provider reimbursement to minimize shift to private sector premium payers)

• Supports continuation of SeniorCare prescription drug program.

Private Sector Insurance & Other:

• Supports HSA tax deduction

• Supports business tax credit for wellness program expenses

• Supports lowering caps on medical malpractice non-economic damages

• Supports stem cell research limited to adult and tissue (non-embryonic).

Also, see medical malpractice positions under Legal Reform above

Energy

• Supports investments in infrastructure, reliable system, and renewable and alternative energy.

• Supports a 10 percent tax credit for farm-based research into renewable and alternative energy sources, including ethanol, methane, bio-mass, wind and solar.

• Supports an additional $1 million for Discovery Farms, where Best Management Practices and models for energy independence are being tested and modeled on farm settings.

• Supports tax incentives for consumers purchasing energy efficient home heating and cooling equipment, appliances, and for equipment used to generate renewable energy including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal sources.

• Supports a variety of initiatives that will grow and foster the use of renewable energy and energy efficient equipment and processes. He has been critical of the Governor’s diversion of over $100 million from the state’s energy efficiency funds to the state’s general purpose fund.

• Has been critical of what he calls the “politicization” of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the semi-judicial agency that regulates energy and telecommunications utilities in Wisconsin, noting that some of the PSC’s actions are currently under investigation.