Dead-even governor's race means it's campaign crunch time



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- There's just 19 days until voters go the polls, and the race for governor is dead even.

Thursday, October 16th, both Scott Walker and Mary Burke are campaigning across the state, looking to increase turnout among their political bases.

Governor Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke are criss-crossing the state in the campaign's final push.

On the heels of the latest Marquette University Law School poll showing a dead even race, both candidates can agree on one thing -- almost word-for-word.

"This race is going to be close all the way down to the wire. Obviously the only poll that matters is the one we take on November 4th in less than 3 weeks," said Scott Walker.

"The only poll that's going to count is the one on November 4th. I know it's going to be a tight race," said Mary Burke.

A new report shows Burke is outspending Walker on TV ads, just as national unions say they plan to flood the airwaves with anti-Walker ads.

"I'm the number one target, so no matter what the margin is, I would expect they're going to pound on us pretty hard over the next couple of weeks," Walker said.

Both candidates say turnout will be critical. Walker is winning in the Green Bay area.

"We're here 4 or 5 times a week because this is an important part of the state's economy, but it's politically important to me," said Walker.

And Burke, who has solid leads in Milwaukee and Madison, is spending time in the Capitol to excite the Democratic base.

"I'll continue to travel the state, and every major area in this state is important," said Burke.

Meanwhile, the two are arguing over a question that will be on the November ballot statewide. It would stop the legislature from raiding the transportation fund. Under Governor Jim Doyle the state diverted $1.4 billion to non-transportation projects.

"I thought it was wrong that transportation funds were used for other purposes in the Doyle administration," said Burke.

"She failed to speak out, stick up when she had a front row seat, when she could have made a difference -- now she's trying to revise history," said Walker.

The two candidates will have one more face-to-face confrontation when they meet for the campaign's final debate in Milwaukee on Friday, October 17th.

Walker says he'll take a positive approach, while Burke will continue to outline her jobs plan -- and criticize Walker's record.