Journalists branch out into politics

During Tommy Thompson's long reign as King of the Badgers, some Democrats used to think that Steve Walters of the Journal Sentinel's Capitol bureau was Tommy's press agent.

But Tommy has moved on to greener pastures, and it looks like Walters has found a new hobby, too -- targeting races for the Republicans.

Walters advises the GOP to go after State Sen. Jon Erpenbach and tie him to Chuck Chvala, who admitted to assigning state Capitol staff to Erpenbach's first campaign in 1998. Even GOP attack dog Rick Graber doesn't think that's a major issue, but Walters seems quite convinced it will work.

Walters is doing targeting and Greg Borowski's doing message. Maybe they should set up shop.