Longtime Madison Mayor Paul Soglin gets just 1 vote in Democratic straw poll in governor's race

Patrick Marley | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - A straw poll of Democrats at their party's weekend convention is getting most of its attention for who came in last place in the race for governor.

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin — one of the better known candidates in a field of 10 — got just one vote.

Soglin and his campaign manager, Melissa Mulliken, didn't cast ballots for the longtime mayor during the two-day convention in Oshkosh because they consider the straw poll meaningless, Mulliken said.

The winner for the Aug. 14 Democratic primary will take on GOP Gov. Scott Walker in November.

Every year, WisPolitics.com asks convention-goers about upcoming races and who they would like to see represent their party. The straw poll is not scientifically significant, but can measure the strength and organization of candidates' campaigns.

"If straw polls had validity, we would have had President Alan Cranston," Mulliken said in a statement.

She was referring to the U.S. senator from California who beat former Vice President Walter Mondale in a 1983 straw poll at the Wisconsin Democratic Party convention.

Mulliken said Soglin had put his energy into focusing on issues, not the straw poll.

"The straw poll isn’t a meaningful measure and neither Paul nor I participated in it," her statement said. "The scientific polling we’ve done shows Paul Soglin is a leading candidate."

Former state Rep. Kelda Roys of Madison handily won the straw poll, getting nearly twice as many votes as her closest opponent.

The straw poll of 789 delegates, alternates and guests showed Roys with a clear lead, many of the candidates bunched together and Soglin trailing badly:

Roys: 184

Firefighters union president Mahlon Mitchell: 93

Schools Superintendent Tony Evers: 91

Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik: 89

State Rep. Dana Wachs: 89

State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: 83

Campaign finance reform advocate Mike McCabe: 81

Former state Democratic Party Chairman Matt Flynn: 71

Kenosha attorney Josh Pade: 7

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin: 1

Pade, who is new to politics and virtually unknown, got seven times as many votes as Soglin.

Paul Soglin considers the Democratic primary a two man race Madison Mayor Paul Soglin spoke to media following his appearance at WisPolitics.com's luncheon event at the Madison Club in Madison, April 17, 2018.

"A candidate with the name recognition and longevity of Soglin should be able to get a decent showing in a straw poll among political activists just by being listed on ballot," Democratic strategist Joel Gratz wrote on his blog. "In getting that single vote (Soglin’s, his manager’s, or a random delegate if neither of the other two happened to vote) he’s moved from the top tier position he once had to the bottom tier, just as former Rep. Kelda Roys was boosted clearly into the top tier by winning the poll and garnering twice the votes of any other candidate."

Soglin last month described his low-key "supper club" campaign style to the Isthmus newspaper, saying he was focused on the late stages of the primary race rather than early endorsements.

"I’m not doing campaign events," he said. "So far, I’ve mostly just attended as many of the (candidate) forums as I can. Along the way, I try to stop at a bar or a diner to get a sandwich. That’s the supper club part.

"I get to talking to someone at a bar. Once they know who I am and that I’m running for governor, that usually gets a few people’s attention and all of a sudden I’ve met a dozen or so people."

Roys welcomed the news that she had won the straw poll.

"(The straw) poll proves that Wisconsin voters are excited to vote for a leader with a positive vision for our state, not just vote against things," Roys said in a statement. "We’re gaining momentum every day by sharing our values of opportunity and fairness, with a hopeful, optimistic vision for our future.”