By RYAN J. FOLEY
The Associated Press
Friday, October 27, 2006; 3:26 AM
MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle paints his re-election bid in stark terms: If voters choose his opponent, they will shut down stem cell research that could mean medical cures for debilitating illnesses and an economic boom for Wisconsin.
"There will be no turning back after the vote on Nov. 7," the Democratic governor warned in a recent debate against GOP Rep. Mark Green. "We need to keep Wisconsin the state where people look for hope."
Scientists in Wisconsin are pioneers in embryonic stem cell research and the state is a leading player in a nationwide debate of the moral, scientific and economic issues involved.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates in several states are hammering on the issue to pick up Republican and independent voters.
Doyle has made the fight over embryonic stem cell research a centerpiece of his campaign.
His opponent _ whom polls show within reach of winning the race _ opposes the use of tax dollars to expand the research and favors tighter restrictions on the science.
Green supports research that uses adult stem cells, pledging $25 million to study a fledgling technique in which cells are extracted without destroying embryos.
Green's stance is roughly in line with that of many Republicans who oppose embryonic stem cell research _ despite the promise it holds for curing ailments such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's _ because days-old embryos are destroyed in the process.
Federal policies that have restricted the science have heightened the importance of the issue for Wisconsin and other states.
President Bush vetoed a bill earlier this year that would have expanded federal research money, instead only allowing funding for stem cell lines in existence before August 2001 _ five of which were discovered at the University of Wisconsin.
"Wisconsin is definitely where it's at," said Sean Tipton, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, a pro-stem cell group. "Scientists there have been the pioneers. That adds to the potency of the issue."
The issue has become one of the defining arguments of the 2006 election season.
In Iowa, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver has promised to rescind the state's ban on a form of stem cell research known as therapeutic cloning and build a university center for regenerative medicine. He contends the state is losing key researchers and criticizes GOP opponent Rep. Jim Nussle for backing Bush's restrictions.
In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm wants to lift the state's restrictions in a stance that won her the endorsement of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's. Republican Dick DeVos backs the limits, which do not allow researchers to use embryos leftover from the state's fertility clinics.
In Missouri, voters are considering a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to protect all federally allowed forms of the research. In a new ad, actor Michael J. Fox _ his body wracked with tremors from Parkinson's _ speaks out for Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill, who supports embryonic stem cell research.
Fox has also campaigned for Doyle as well as several other candidates who support the research.
In Wisconsin, Doyle's stance appeals to people like George Prescott, a retired owner of grocery stores who suffers from Parkinson's. A lifelong Republican, Prescott said he voted against Doyle in 2002. He has switched his allegiance.
"I'm disappointed that my party took the wrong position on this," Prescott said. "It's an unwise and dangerous position to take and I hope they get quite a lesson back from it."
Scientists and patients' advocates formed a group called Stem Cell Champions for Doyle, which includes Stephanie Monday, a 43-year-old Madison woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis and says she's never been active politically until now.
"He's a person like the rest of us: He's trying to do a good thing for people," she said. "This is a very pivotal issue."
The issue has put Doyle, a Catholic, at odds with church leaders in the state. It also risks motivating the state's powerful anti-abortion groups that back Green, also a Catholic.
With the race so tight, the issue could help Doyle, said Arthur Caplan, a University of Pennsylvania professor of bioethics who follows stem cell politics.
"Doyle has chosen to really feature it and he's using it as not only one of the moral distinctions between him and Green but also economic," he said. "I don't know if it's enough to swing the election but most people want biotechnology."
State policies vary widely, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. California and five other states have moved to pour millions of dollars into the field while others have restrictions or bans that hamper the research.
Many research advocates are focusing their efforts on getting more sympathetic members elected to Congress rather than on gubernatorial races. They hope to have enough votes to override Bush's veto.
"The governor's races are very important but the big pot of money is federal money," said Idelle Datlof, executive director of the Stem Cell Action Network.