Governor Doyle at the 2009 DPW convention.
It will be a change for him, but Governor Jim Doyle says he’s actually looking forward to not having his name on the ballot next November.
Doyle has been a candidate for a statewide office since winning the Attorney General’s office in 1990, but he’ll step down at the end of next year after announcing in August he would not seek a third term in the Governor’s office.
Doyle admits he has some regrets about his decision not to seek a third term , and it will be hard to watch from the sidelines. After competing for so long, there will likely be many times when he’ll wish he was battling it out against a challenger.
However, the Governor says he’s also looking forward to a change. He says there will be some Sunday next summer where he’ll be playing golf and relaxing, which he never gets to do in an election year.
The Governor also says not having to worry about a campaign will free him up to focus on the many issues facing the state. He says battling through the economic troubles facing the state and getting people back to work remain priorities for the coming year.
First Lady Jessica Doyle says it will probably feel strange to see the campaign season in full swing and to not be constantly on the road. However, says the change should make their lives easier.
She recalls many weekends during the least campaign where they were picked up in the morning and sent off in different directions for events. Now, Doyle says they’ll have more time to focus on family. However, she will miss getting the chance to meet people across the state during the campaign.
Doyle has had his name on the ballot in every statewide contest since 1990. Those include three campaigns for Attorney General and two for Governor.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (:55)