12:17 p.m.

Democrats just concluded voting on resolutions and closed their 2009 convention. All that's left is for WisPolitics.com to count up its straw poll results. If we get them soon, we'll post them here. Otherwise, you can check www.wispolitics.com later today.
 

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10:47 a.m.

Holy smokes!

New state party chairman Mike Tate just brought the house down with a stemwinder, promising to outhustle Republicans in 2010 and deliver election victories from Madison to Washington.

"We're going to knock on more doors, make more phone calls, and raise more money than our opponents," Tate said. "We are going to out work and straight up beat down any Republican that gets in our way."

Tate called Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a Republican who has announced he will run for governor in 2010, and developer Mark Neumann, who has said he also intends to seek the GOP nomination, as "incompetent" and vowed to defeat Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

As for the state Legislature, "We're going to be on offense from day one and come back with bigger majorities for (Assembly Speaker) Mike Sheridan and (Senate Majority Leader) Russ Decker to work with."

Tate said Democrats in Washington and Wisconsin are taking on the tough issues, whether it's terrorism or the economic crisis, while Republicans aren't offering solutions.

"Out of this, history will be written and it will be that the Democratic Party rose to meet the challenges of this day," he said.

Convention attendees, rather than voting by ballot, elected Tate, first vice chair Melissa Schroeder, and second vice chair Jef Hall by acclimation. That ends Sen. Lena Taylor's attempt to be re-elected first vice chair.

* * *

10:15 a.m.

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, was scheduled to speak to the convention this morning but she can't make it, said Democratic Party spokesman Alec Loftus.

Loftus said he didn't immediately know why Baldwin is unable to attend.

* * *

10:06 a.m.

Sen. Herb Kohl says Wisconsin is now "a solid Democratic state."

"Our hard work has turned Wisconsin from purple to true blue," Kohl said.

He was referring to Wisconsin giving President Barack Obama a strong margin in the 2008 election. Wisconsin also gave control of the state Assembly to Democrats last year after handing Democrats control of the Senate in 2006 while also re-electing Gov. Jim Doyle that year.

Kohl also pledged that Congress would enact health care reform that makes affordable care available to everyone.

* * *

9:58 a.m.

Fresh from a narrow budget victory, Assembly Majority Leader Thomas Nelson of Kaukauna told the convention the 2009-11 spending plan is "the most progressive, though challenging, budgets in the history of this state."
 

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9:46 a.m.

Educator Paulette Garin was just introduced as running against U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, in 2010.

Garin failed in her 2008 bid to secure the Democratic nomination to challenge Ryan.

"We may have a chance to defeat Paul Ryan with early organization and a grass roots effort," she said.

Garin is also urging the convention audience to support "single payer health care."
 

9:20 a.m.

Day two of the state Democratic Party convention in Green Bay is underway, and attendees are moving through platform items. With the Assembly having passed its version of the 2009-11 state budget early this morning, after 5 a.m., Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, won't speak. But Assembly Majority Leader Thomas Nelson of Kaukauna is here in Sheridan's place.

Nelson said he drove here from Madison after the budget was passed and wrote his speech in the parking lot.

"No sleep. Haven't shaved in a couple of days," Nelson said.

U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl of Milwaukee and incoming chairman Mike Tate are also scheduled to speak this morning.
 

* * *

9:09 p.m.

The convention has concluded for the evening.

* * *

9:06 p.m.

Facing scrutiny for presiding over an economy marked by rising unemployment and a projected $6.6 billion state budget shortfall, Gov. Jim Doyle offered a hint at how he'll sell the $62.2 billion state budget.

"We are balancing the budget," Doyle told the state Democratic Party convention. "We are doing it without raising taxes on Wisconsin's middle class families."

The budget--being debated by the Assembly tonight--includes cuts to schools and aid to local governments, targeted tax increases, and furloughs and layoffs for state workers.

But Doyle said the budget still protects education, keeps college tuition low for middle-income families, mandates insurance coverage for children with autism, provides health benefits for the domestic partners of state workers, repeals a law that governs teacher salaries, and creates a statewide domestic partner registry.

He resurrected a familiar Democratic theme in criticizing Republicans for arguing against the federal economic stimulus bill and Wisconsin's state budget.

"All the Republicans seem to be offering is no, no no," Doyle said. "They've said no all across the board."

Doyle didn't say whether he'll run for re-election in 2010. But he told the convention, "Elections do matter."

* * *

8:32 p.m.

Gov. Jim Doyle, following his introduction by Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, predicted Green Bay would be playing in the Super Bowl next year.

"That 6 and 10 (win-loss record from 2008) is going to be 14 and 2 (in 2009) and we're going to the Super Bowl," Doyle said.

Former Packers linebacker George Koonce is also at the convention, Doyle said.

* * *

8:28 p.m.

Packers cornerback Charles Woodson opened his remarks by telling the audience being at the state Democratic convention is one of those situations where he's not quite sure how he got there.

"Even though I may not know why I'm here, I do know why your governor is here," Woodson said. "He's here for you."

Gov. Jim Doyle's up next.

* * *

8:25 p.m.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, asked for help winning re-election next year. David Westlake, a small business owner from Watertown, announced this week he would challenge Feingold.

Westlake bills himself as a "common sense conservative."
 

* * *

8:15 p.m.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, always a popular figure among Democratic Party activists, tells the convention, "you changed this country."

"There's a difference in D.C. There's a difference in Wisconsin. There's a difference all across America," he said, citing President Barack Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, legislation cracking down on credit card companies and expansion of federal health insurance for children.

Feingold called on Congress to pass legislation "to guarantee that every single American has health care."

Obama has said he wants to enact health care reform this year. He was in Green Bay yesterday to make the case for reform.
 

* * *

7:29 p.m.

Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass just told the convention audience she plans on seeking re-election in 2010.
 

* * *

6:56 p.m.

Former Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett is at the Democratic convention touching base with activists in advance of possible run for attorney general in 2010.

Hassett, 58, said he's "pretty far along" in deciding to make a run.

If he decides to run, he'll file paperwork as soon as next month, he said.

Hassett said he's talked to Gov. Jim Doyle, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, former AG Peg Lautenschlager, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and several Democratic district attorneys about the race.

"There's no name out there that anyone's aware of" pondering the seat other than him, Hassett said.

Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is the highest-ranking elected GOP official. Currently in his first term, Van Hollen has said he intends to seek re-election.

Joe Wineke, outgoing chairman of the state Democratic Party, said his big electoral regret in the last couple of years has been losing the attorney general's race in 2006.

"J.B. Van Hollen, watch your back, we're gunning for you," Wineke told the convention audience today.

Meanwhile, the state Republican Party criticized Hassett today as unqualified for the job because he's never been a prosecutor.
 

* * *

6:13 p.m.

It's not the biggest political drama in the world, but it's about all the drama we've got right now up in Green Bay at the Democratic Party convention.

State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, is trying to retain her seat as first vice chair of the state party despite having failed to meet the filing deadline to run for the post.

Melissa Schroeder, a Democratic National Committee delegate, is the only formal candidate for the position. But Taylor reportedly may mount a challenge from the floor of the convention or a write-in campaign.

There is no formal mechanism in party rules for Taylor to officially seek to retain her seat in party leadership.

The vote will take place tomorrow.

* * *

6:00 p.m.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson is scheduled to introduce Gov. Jim Doyle at the state Democratic Party convention tonight.

Doyle is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m., and the Pro Bowl cornerback will go on at about 7:45 p.m., according to party spokesman Alec Loftus

The convention is being held in Green Bay and is about to begin momentarily.

* * *

5:42 p.m.

Democrats have the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) caucus, the American Indian caucus, the black caucus, the women's caucus and the Hispanic caucus. Those groups are holding meetings right now at the state Democratic Party convention in Green Bay.

But by tomorrow at this time the state party may have another caucus: the rural caucus.

Tom Crofton, a farmer and carpenter from Richland Center and chairman of the Richland County Democrats, is helping organize the group so that rural voices are stronger within the party.

"It's just a way of, like any caucus, getting respect," he said.

He also said rural voters could be key to building the party's membership, with farmers and other rural voters trending Democratic in recent elections, particularly 2008.

"The state demographics are really changing," said Crofton, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for state Assembly last year. "The rural areas are the swing votes now."

President Barack Obama, a Democrat, won 59 of 72 Wisconsin counties last year, including some conservative, rural and traditional Republican ones.

Obama took heavily GOP Waupaca County by 3.3 points over Republican Sen. John Mc Cain of Arizona. That's a county that gave George W. Bush victories of 18.4 points in 2000 and 19 points in 2004.

Patricia DuChene, chairwoman of the Waupaca County Democrats, said she's seeing more independents and moderate Republicans gravitating toward her party.

She said she'll work as part of the rural caucus.

"There are certain issues or parts of issues peculiar to the rural environment and they need a strong voice," she said, citing health care, education and job creation.

In addition, she said, rural counties need to approach campaigning and candidate recruitment differently than other parts of the state, and the state party can help with that.

* * *

5:25 p.m.

Incoming Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate has said he's emphasizing the use of new media to build the state party, especially with young voters.

So at the party's convention, there is a team of party activists dubbed the "You Tube crew" interviewing delegates and others that the party will post on the Internet site.

It's also providing convention updates on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wisdems.

And the party plans to release tonight a new web-based ad targeting Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a Republican who said he plans to run for governor 2010.

* * *

5:03 p.m.

With the Assembly voting on the 2009-11 budget all night, Speaker Mike Sheridan has canceled his speaking slot at tonight's Democratic convention in Green Bay.

Other Assembly Democrats are also missing from the event today.

Sheridan may speak tomorrow, said Alec Loftus, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party.

Among those slated to speak tonight are Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and Gov. Jim Doyle.