Referendums May Boost Gop; Death Penalty, Marriage Votes Likely to Energize Republicans, Experts Say

Summary

---

Madison Referendums on the definition of marriage and the death penalty are aimed at helping Republicans oust Gov. Jim Doyle and keep control of both houses of the Legislature, political observers said Friday.

Voters will decide Nov. 7 whether to approve a constitutional amendment that would bar the state from recognizing gay marriages and "substantially similar" relationships. They also almost assuredly will have a chance to vote in an advisory referendum on whether the state should impose the death penalty in first-degree murder convictions that are supported with DNA evidence.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

Referendums May Boost Gop; Death Penalty, Marriage Votes Likely to Energize Republicans, Experts Say

"The combination of the gay marriage initiative and the death penalty initiative is going to be more helpful to the Republican candidates," said Dhavan Shah, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of journalism and mass communication.

"It's a pretty big blow" to Doyle, who is expected to face Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green o...

See the full content of this document

---