"I hope I win!" Does Brett Hulsey stand a chance against Mary Burke in Tuesday's primary election?
MADISON (WITI) -- Voters take to the polls on Tuesday, August 12th -- primary election day in the state of Wisconsin. There are several races on the ballot -- but none more important than the governor's race. Mary Burke faces Brett Hulsey in the Democratic primary in the governor's race.
Monday was the final day of campaigning in the primary race for governor.
Before we get to Walker vs. Burke -- it's Burke vs. Hulsey on the ballot Tuesday.
Rep. Brett Hulsey
State Rep. Brett Hulsey acknowledges he's waged a long-shot bid for the Democratic nomination for governor -- traveling the state in a hand-painted Ford Escort with his only campaign staff member: his dog, Penny.
"It's got the fancy paint job on the side with my third-grade handwriting. Penny is my best campaigner. She's obviously better looking and better behaved than I am," Hulsey said.
Meanwhile, in the city of Manitowoc, a shipbuilding town of 33,000 and one of Mary Burke's final stops in the primary campaign, the Democratic front-runner spoke before a packed house at the public library -- detailing her jobs plan.
Burke has predicted she will do well Tuesday against Hulsey.
"I think I'll do pretty well, and certainly since I got into this race, I have been focused on November 4th, and the primary is one step I need to go through, but I have been focused since day one on the General Election on November 4th," Burke said.
Mary Burke
As if to underscore that, Burke is planning a private fundraiser -- rather than an election night party, knowing that the race against Walker will take resources.
"It's going to be a tough race over these next 85 days, but I look forward to it," Burke said.
Hulsey is critical of Burke's strategy of looking past the primary.
"You know, I hope they keep pretending right up until 8 o'clock (Tuesday) night, and I hope I win," Hulsey said.
Hulsey says he's aware this could be the end of his campaign for governor.
"As a single guy, the major goal was to get a date. I think I can safely say, I've succeeded in that. I got to go on a date. That's all a guy that looks like this can really ask for," Hulsey said.
Hulsey was scheduled to campaign in Milwaukee on Monday night. Burke has events planned in Manitowoc.
Meanwhile, Governor Scott Walker was campaigning Monday in Superior and Rhinelander.
The winner of Tuesday's primary advances to the November 4th General Election.