Wis. gov.: 'I'm not going away'

MAPLE BLUFF, Wis. -- Outgoing Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle told The Associated Press on Thursday that he hopes to land a private sector job in Madison when he leaves office next month, working on issues like health care and sustainable energy.

Doyle, 65, said in an interview conducted at the governor's mansion that he is not seeking a position with the Obama administration and he doesn't want to be a lobbyist or follow in his father's footsteps and become a judge. He also didn't accept blame for deep defeats suffered by Democrats in Wisconsin in last month's election.

Doyle, a lawyer who previously served as state attorney general, said he wants to remain active in influencing government and private industry in those areas that were a focus of his eight years in office, including health care and sustainable energy.

"I think I can help both government and private groups be able to move toward making sure people have health care and making sure we have more sustainable energy and other issues like that," Doyle said. "I'm going to work very hard. I'm not going away. I'm going to find really good and interesting things to do, I'm sure of that."

Doyle's second and final term as governor ends Jan. 3, when Republican Scott Walker will be sworn in. Prior to first being elected governor in 2002, Doyle spent 12 years as attorney general.

Doyle's future has been of keen interest ever since he announced a year ago that he would not seek a third term. His popularity has sagged along with the state's economy, with his approval rating hitting a low of just 34 percent earlier this year.

Even though he didn't run again, Doyle did funnel $1.5 million of his own campaign money to a third party group that ran ads attacking Republicans. Doyle demurred Thursday when asked if he should shoulder any blame for the party's defeats.

"Other people can answer that question," he said. "I just think when you see Russ Feingold losing an election, who would have ever thought six months ago that Russ Feingold would lose an election."

In addition to Feingold losing his Senate seat, Republicans won majority control in both houses of the Legislature and picked up two congressional seats, giving them a majority of five. A spokesman for the state Republican Party did not immediately return messages seeking comments on Doyle's view of the election or his future plans.

This year's big GOP wins helped motivate Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus to run as national party chairman. While Priebus looks to capitalize on the party's gains, Doyle wasn't willing to accept any blame for his party's losses.

He said Democrats need to "actively reflect" on what happened and figure out how to lure back independent voters who sided with Republicans this year instead of Democrats as they had in recent elections. He also said Democratic losses in Wisconsin were similar to defeats seen in other states and were in line with losses seen by the president's party in past mid-term elections.

Doyle praised Obama, saying it also was wrong to lay blame with him. Doyle and Obama are close, with Doyle having been one of the first governors to endorse him for president and actively campaigning for him across the country in 2008.

Despite their strong ties, Doyle said he has made "no effort at all" to land an appointment in Obama's administration, but he also wouldn't rule it out if he were approached about something.

"Our preference is that we live in Wisconsin," Doyle said, referring to his wife Jessica, a former Madison school teacher. "This is our home, this is where our family lives. I'll find interesting things to do."