Potential Burke Candidacy for Governor Has Other Democrats Thinking Twice

Two Democrats who’ve expressed an interest in running for governor say they might stay out of the race if former Trek Bicycle executive Mary Burke gets in.

Burke has not talked publicly about running for governor, but it surfaced last month that someone was conducting polling on her behalf.State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, who ran for governor in last year’s recall, says she’s seriously considering running again in 2014.But Vinehout says she might not run if Burke does.

“I think that it would be a very difficult time to have a Democratic primary,” Vinehout says.”There was a lot of pushback in the primary in the last race, in the recall race, so I think that if she got in the race, I’d definitely have to reconsider my exploration.”

Vinehout says Burke reached out to talk to her.She says Burke’s ability to potentially self-finance a campaign would be a factor.

“Campaign finance laws being what they are, you couldn’t give me a million dollars, but I could use a million of my own money,” says Vinehout.”And that means that people who have the money definitely have an edge over people who don’t.”

Mahlon Mitchell, the president of the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin and the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor during the recall, said he had not ruled out a run for governor.But Mitchell also says a Burke candidacy would affect his decision.

“My personal opinion is I don’t think we need a heavily-contested primary on the Democratic side,” Mitchell says. “I think that takes away from the true goal and that is unseating Governor Scott Walker.”

Mitchell says Burke would make a “great candidate,” adding that her ability to self-finance “wouldn’t hurt.”

Several other Democrats are said to be considering running for governor, though so far, no one has made it official.