Thompson announced in a New Year's interview. I'll say 70 percent of the people are going to say we're going to stick with the guy that's leading us in the right direction. Now, that's confidence. Politicians almost always avoid actual numbers when predicting their finishes. But it's awfully rare that you'll hear someone say, as Thompson has, that he plans to win 70 percent of the vote.
Numbers are definite.
They don't lie. For a man who, like Thompson, entertains notions of himself as a contender for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination, falling short of expectations is dangerous. That may be the best bet of 1998. The governor is well positioned, to say the least. Thompson won't come anywhere near the 70 percent level against Ed Garvey, either, despite the tendency of the pundits to dismiss the Madison lawyer and veteran labor and civil rights activist's challenge to the governor.