Straw poll at Democratic convention gives Lawton the nod if Doyle doesn't run

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Wisconsin Democrats want Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton to be their party's nominee for governor next year, if Jim Doyle does not seek a third term.

WisPolitics.com took their usual straw poll at the State Democratic Convention this past weekend in Green Bay.

Eighty-two delegates preferred Lawton if Doyle steps down.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was the choice of 33 delegates, followed by Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Waunakee and Congressman Ron Kind of La Crosse.

Convention delegates were also asked which GOP candidate was more beatable for governor next year.

One hundred twenty-four of them said it was Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, while 90 said former Congressman Mark Neumann was the easier challenger.

Among other things, the convention unveiled a Democratic Internet ad that slammed both Walker and Neumann.

That was one of the projects from University of Wisconsin-Madison student Sam Roecker, the state Democrats' first media intern.

He's showing the party how to use YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other forms of so-called "new media" to their advantage.

Tags: democratic convention, straw poll, wisconsin, lawton