In 2000, Madigan was among a group of mostly women who saw potential in the old downtown, which had slowly deteriorated into a place of karate studios and auto-parts shops and empty storefronts. Her shop, Dilly Dally, is a gift shop downtown - in the other, older, more tranquil Hudson. “We call that Anywhere USA,” said Sandee Madigan. It’s a place of surface parking lots and every imaginable chain store. There’s the Hudson that most of us see from I-94 as we cross the St. Take a bit of a detour, though, and you soon realize there are actually two Hudsons. It’s early, of course, but at this point in the unending presidential election cycle, you’d be hard-pressed to spot a “Walker for President” sign - or bumper sticker, bobble heads or T-shirt - anywhere near downtown Hudson’s main street (which is actually 2nd Street). “That’s especially true if you have friends who are teachers.” “It’s just better never to talk about him,” said a woman who was shopping on main street and who would not give her name. The same poll, conducted by Marquette University, showed that 78 percent of Wisconsinites were opposed to cuts to K-12 education and 70 percent opposed his proposed $300 million cut to the University of Wisconsin system, a cut that was reduced to $250 million by the time it got through the Republican-controlled state legislature. Polls show that Walker’s favorability ratings in Wisconsin have dropped eight points - from 49 percent approval in October to 41 percent in late April. In Wisconsin, it seems, you’re either really for Walker or really against him. The head of the state’s AFL-CIO, Phil Neuenfeldt, says that these days “Wisconsin is the most polarized state in the country” because of the governor. In 2014, Walker carried the county with 59 percent of the vote during his reelection bid.īut these days, people in public places seem to tread ever so carefully when talk turns to their native son. Croix County have been enthusiastically supportive of Walker in the past. This lack of debate might seem strange given that Wisconsin’s governor, Scott Walker, is a serious candidate for president - especially since Hudson and St. Croix River - where people do talk politics. The smoking room appears to be one of the few places in Hudson - the bedroom community of 13,000 on the eastern banks of the St. But actually he’s pretty easy to get along with.’’ “Every room’s got one weirdo,’’ Feia said. This got the other five shaking their heads.

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