Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor Mary Burke speaks about how she wants to use her speech at the state party convention this weekend to unify the effort to defeat Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Credit: Scott Bauer

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Lake Delton — Speaking at a state Democratic Party convention pumped up by a ruling overturning Wisconsin's gay marriage ban, candidate for governor Mary Burke promised delegates Friday she would work in a bipartisan way to boost the economy and send the state in a new direction.

"I'll put an end to the politics-first approach of the last three years," she said. "I'll sit down and work with anyone — Democrat, Republican or independent. It wasn't so long ago that that was the Wisconsin way. Finding common ground, negotiating in good faith and putting the people of this state first.

"And when I'm governor, we will."

Burke is a former Trek Bicycle Corp. executive, served under Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle as commerce secretary and is in the middle of her first term on the Madison School Board.

In her convention speech, she swiped at GOP Gov. Scott Walker, accusing him of putting "those at the top and the special interests before families."

The convention, held at the Wilderness Resort's Glacier Canyon Lodge in Lake Delton, got a boost of energy from Friday's decision overturning the ban on same-sex marriage.

"Marriages are happening as we sit here right now," Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate told delegates to applause.

Burke also referenced the ruling, saying it made Friday a great day.

"It is time that Governor Walker drops his opposition to the freedom of committed, loving couples to marry," she said.

Burke is riding high from a May poll by Marquette University Law School that showed her tied 46%-46% with Republican Walker among registered voters.

Walker responds

Walker, speaking to a reporter earlier Fridayat the at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Top Workplaces awards breakfast held at the Potawatomi Casino, said his campaign would focus on moving forward, instead of returning to failed policies of the past.

"I think when independent voters see the difference between me and the presumptive nominee Mary — Madison School Board member Mary Burke, they'll see that the only time in the last 25 years unemployment in Wisconsin was worse than the national average was when Mary Burke worked for Jim Doyle" as commerce secretary, he said.

Burke shot back in her speech on Walker's economic policies, blasting him for appearing to go off track on his promise to create 250,000 jobs during his first term.

With just months to go before the election, Walker is about 149,000 jobs short of that goal.

"He promised us 250,000 new jobs. But what did we get? We're ninth out of ten Midwestern states in job growth. ... Heck, this governor thinks 'leadership' is dividing people and pitting them against each other. Well, I'm sorry, but that dog just don't hunt."

Others criticized Walker for his out-of-state travel and the possibility he would run for president in 2016.

"I wish he spent as much time in Iowa County as he does in the state of Iowa," U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison said.

Contrasting conventions

Democrats contrasted their convention with the one Republicans held in Milwaukee last month.

That gathering drew national attention because delegates debated proposals arguing the state had the ability to secede in extreme circumstances and throw out federal laws it considered unconstitutional. Those ideas were rejected, but proved to be a distraction. Democrats took the opportunity to tweak the GOP on the proposals Friday.

"I look at them and I think: Are you losing your mind? But that's what they're talking about," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said of Republicans talking about nullification.

Burke has her own distraction in the form of state Rep. Brett Hulsey (D-Madison), who is making a long-shot bid for his party's nomination for governor.

Hulsey, who appeared outside the Republican convention dressed in a homemade Confederate soldier uniform, is not being given a speaking role at his party's convention. And a Democratic Party official is trying to get Hulsey kicked off the ballot.

This weekend's convention will also give Democrats a chance to size up the three officials from their party running for attorney general.

On Saturday, Democrats will hear from their party's three candidates — Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne and state Rep. Jon Richards of Milwaukee.

James B. Nelson of the Journal Sentinel staff in Milwaukee contributed to this report.