AP: Russ Feingold and Ron Johnson

The Associated Press notes that Russ Feingold faces an "unexpectedly tough race."

Poor Russ is vulnerable.

Add Russ Feingold to the list of Senate Democrats who find themselves in unexpectedly tough races, the latest evidence of the GOP's success in widening the playing field that President Barack Obama's party has to defend.

The Wisconsin Democrat faces a wealthy political newcomer with early backing from tea party activists in a state that has many independent voters and is known for doing its own thing.

The likely GOP nominee, Ron Johnson, is running an outsider's campaign.

"We have to boot professional politicians out of Washington," he says in his first campaign ad.

Feingold, now in his third term, knows he has a fight on his hands.

...His occasional breaks from party orthodoxy could be his key to political survival in a campaign season that's already claimed five congressional incumbents and several establishment-backed candidates.

But, as Republicans are quick to remind voters, Feingold backed Obama's economic stimulus plan and health care overhaul.

Why the emphasis on "wealthy" Republican candidates?

It will be difficult for Feingold to complain about Johnson buying a seat in the U.S. Senate considering Herb Kohl's personal fortune was his ticket to Washington.

...Senate Republicans lag in overall fundraising. But they are buoyed by having several deep-pocketed GOP candidates, like Johnson and Boxer's opponent, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

Democrats don't dispute that Republicans have succeeded in putting more Senate seats in play, including Feingold's.

But they argue that the GOP won't succeed in Wisconsin because, like Sharron Angle in Nevada and Rand Paul in Kentucky, Johnson is a far-right candidate who could have a problem attracting swing voters. Democrats say they'd rather Feingold face Johnson, a conservative who has never run statewide, than the more moderate former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who declined overtures to run.

Feingold has 18 years in the Senate and a strong base of supporters as well as a record as an aggressive campaigner and prolific fundraiser. He had raised $11.3 million and had $4.3 million on hand as of March, the most recent figures available, and recently got help from Vice President Joe Biden. Nonetheless, one of Feingold's strategists, John Krauss, casts the senator as the underdog in he race.

Liz Sidoti, AP political writer, describes Johnson as a "far-right candidate."

Have Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod been feeding Sidoti talking points?

Interesting that she doesn't mention that Feingold is a "far-left candidate."

Feingold did get fundraising help recently from Joe Biden, but I think Biden did more damage than good. Biden called Scott Borkin, manager of Kopp's, a smartass simply because Borkin said he'd like lower taxes.

During Biden's little hissy fit at Kopp's, Feingold looked so awkward and out of touch with his constituents' concerns, like skyrocketing taxes.

...Johnson, owner of a Wisconsin-based company that makes plastic packaging materials, has a personal fortune and has suggested spending as much as $15 million on the race. He already has run $1 million worth of ads, and is counting on support from people tired of Feingold.

I don't think it's a matter of people being tired of Feingold. We're tired of his extremism and his far-Left positions.

...The Republican seemingly came out of nowhere when he won the state GOP convention — and the party endorsement — just days after getting in the race. He all but cleared the primary field. Only businessman Dave Westlake, a long shot in the September primary, remains.

Johnson won over tea party activists early, but that support has waned in recent weeks after the GOP establishment embraced him.

In conservative fashion, he calls for reducing spending by reducing the size of government and opposes "blanket amnesty" for illegal immigrants as well as cap-and-trade legislation to address climate change: "I do not believe man-made global warming is proven."

He advocates repealing the health care overhaul, calling it "the greatest assault on our freedom in my lifetime."

Johnson "came out of nowhere."

Really? Where did Herb Kohl come from?

Speaking of coming out of nowhere, Obama is the ultimate nowhere man.

"In conservative fashion."

Sidoti seems to sneer at Johnson's stance on the issues: reducing spending by reducing the size of government, opposing blanket amnesty for ILLEGAL immigrants, opposing cap-and-trade job-killing legislation, and repealing the Democrats' disastrous health care bill.

What's funny is Sidoti doesn't acknowledge that most Americans agree with Johnson on those issues.

She seems to unwittingly illustrate her point that Feingold is indeed vulnerable.