Russ Feingold	51%
Mark Neumann	49%

LCV's extensive efforts in Wisconsin were a major factor in making environmental protection one of the key issues in this campaign. By acting as an independent, third-party source of information about Mark Neumann's environmental record - a record Neumann would have preferred to remain secret - LCV provided voters the tools they needed to make a decision about which candidate truly represented their interests in a clean and healthy Wisconsin. This powerful message made its presence felt through earned and paid media, as well as extensive field organizing. In the end, it provided the crucial margin of victory.

Key Polling Results: 

Feingold's near perfect environmental record stands in sharp contrast to Neumann's consistently poor votes against environmental protection. Polling numbers show LCV and other groups had a dramatic effect on Neumann's image by increasing negative impressions of him. The growth in Neumann's negatives is especially stunning given the fact that Feingold refused to air negative ads. Thirty-six percent viewed Neumann unfavorably, doubling his negatives since August.

Environmental charges against Neumann worked and helped Feingold hold his ground. Votes against cleaning up toxins in waterways, against wetlands protections, and weakening laws to protect drinking water each resonated and were three of the top six issue-related charges made against Neumann. Combined, these charges were cited by 40 percent of voters, more than any other single charge and by 53 percent of Feingold voters.

Dirty Dozen Campaign Activities: 

Total budget: $420,000. Directed by a full-time campaign manager in Milwaukee and a field organizer in Madison, LCV Action Fund elevated Mark Neumann's anti-environment voting record to peel off support from pro-conservation Wisconsinites across the state.

• Between September 28th and October 11th, 151 television advertisements (1406 GRPs) were aired in Milwaukee highlighting Neumann's votes against strengthening meat inspections and to gut clean water protections, even though Wisconsin lakes and streams have dangerously high levels of mercury.
  
• An aggressive earned media program included events highlighting Neumann's dirty water record and a wide variety of visibility and voter education efforts, many of which featured "Wally the 7-Foot Walleye" fish. "Wally" attended such events as the Muskie Fishing Tournament in Crivitz, and GOTV rallies in Milwaukee and Madison. In addition, the fish took part in voter education efforts geared toward young families, appearing at pumpkin carving festivals, Halloween fairs, area Farmers' Markets, and a "Give Neumann the Hook" honk-and-wave.
  
• LCVAF did literature drops, visibility events, and paid for 20,000 GOTV calls to Milwaukee's African-American community with a brief message on Neumann's voting record to weaken laws protecting children from lead in schools, despite the fact that over 20 percent of the children in Milwaukee have unhealthy levels of lead in their blood.

• During the last two weeks of the campaign, LCV Action Fund expanded its TV buy in Milwaukee (48 ads, 510 Gross Rating Points); Green Bay (96 ads, or 566 Gross Rating Points); Madison (60 ads, or 410 Gross Rating Points); and LaCrosse (60 ads, or 400 Gross Rating Points).