WISCONSIN 2 : South - Madison

Long known as a liberal bastion, the 2nd changed direction in 1990, electing Republican Scott Klug over 32-year incumbent Rep. Robert W. Kastenmeier. When Klug retired in 1998 after four terms, the U. of Wisconsin-dominated 2nd went back to the Democrats. Madison, home of the university and state capital, is the centerpiece of Dane County's liberalism. The city has been cited by magazines as one of the most livable in the nation.

With two-thirds of the district's voters living in Dane County, Klug succeeded by tapping Madison's suburbs for support. Towns like Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and Middleton are growing briskly with young professionals who tend to be socially liberal but fiscally conservative. Outside the city, Dane County's corn stalks and cows make it the second-largest farming region in the state.

Most of the district's land lies outside of Dane and is solidly Republican. Dairy and beef farms have been struggling in the western part of the 2nd, where rolling hills make most large scale farming impractical. To the north, the natural wonders of the Wisconsin Dells lure tourists to the Wisconsin River.

Major Industry
Higher education, farming, insurance

Military Bases
Truax Field, 69 military, 429 civilian (1997)

Population
543,625 (1990)

Cities
Madison, 197,630; Fitchburg, 17,954; Sun Prairie, 17,825 (1996)

People
45% urban, 36% rural; 11% age 65+ (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally); 55% married couples, 26% married couples with children; 27% college educated (ranks first of nine in state; top third nationally); 60% white collar (ranks second of nine in state; top third nationally), 22% blue collar (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
96% white, 2% black, 2% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$30,625 (ranks fourth of nine in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's studio and home, now a thriving artist community.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company