MADISON, Wis. (WTAQ) - It’s about 6 months until the Republican primary for governor, and both major candidates are running TV ads. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is airing his first statewide ad Thursday. Former Congressman Mark Neumann of Nashotah has already run 2 ads, and will debut a third Friday. Democrat Tom Barrett says he won’t advertise yet. The Milwaukee mayor does not have a major primary challenger.
Walker’s ad said has returned $370,000 of his salary to the taxpayers over the last 8 years. He says he packs his own lunch every day, and he tells voters to go to a Web site that lists how frugal he’s been. Walker makes almost $130,000 a year to run the Milwaukee County government. He gave back $60,000 in each of his first 6 years, then dropped that to $10,000 the last 2 years. State Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate took a dig at that, saying Walker broke a promise to give back 47 percent of his pay the last two years. Meanwhile, Neumann portrays himself as an outsider in his new ad, saying it’s hard to tell Republican insiders from liberal Democrats some days.
