Democrat Tom Barrett has outspent his GOP opponent Scott Walker by 2-to-1 on TV in the race for governor since the Sept. 14 primary, but outside groups have outspent both candidates, effectively leveling the playing field, according to a study of campaign advertising this fall.
The study also finds that ? no great surprise ? the ads have been unrelentingly negative.
?In a negative year nationally and regionally, Wisconsin is leading the way,? said Ken Goldstein, political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who is tracking ads in races for governor in six Midwestern states.