Editor’s note: This is the third of four gubernatorial candidate stories that will appear in each issue until the Nov. 5 state election. The four candidates are featured alphabetically.

At an Oct. 16 gubernatorial debate in Zorn Arena, Democratic candidate Jim Doyle and Republican incumbent Scott McCallum had finished arguing the use of the tobacco settlement on the state’s budget deficit.

A panel member then asked Libertarian candidate Ed Thompson – who hadn’t been included in a debate until the one in Eau Claire – about tuition caps.

“Well I’m sure glad (Green Party candidate Jim Young) and I are still in the debate after that last round,” Thompson responded, drawing some applause.

The 57-year-old Libertarian, who made other quips during the debate, has had trouble getting equal spotlight as he seeks the position his brother Tommy held for 14 years.

Part of the reason, as the case was in an Oct. 4 Milwaukee debate, is due to Thompson’s failure to receive 6 percent of the vote in the Sept. 10 primaries. Thompson argues that he had no opponent to defeat in the primary.

Although he was included in a Wisconsin Public Television gubernatorial debate Tuesday, Thompson was left out of a Friday forum in Wausau due to McCallum and Doyle requesting a two-candidate event.

The “deck is stacked” against third-party candidates and they need a win Nov. 5 to change it, Thompson said Oct. 21 in a phone interview.

His platform includes support for the UW System, which Thompson said cannot afford more cuts, especially in its academic areas. He said he prefers a smaller cap on annual tuition increases but would support a 10-percent cap.

Tuition increases should be tied to inflation and similar raises in financial aid, Thompson said.

With the overall state budget, he said at the Oct. 16 debate that he wouldn’t raise taxes. Instead, he would cut the Department of Corrections’ budget in half. He said at Tuesday’s debate it is about $500 million and mostly would involve the release of non-violent offenders to be put in other programs.

By expanding the school voucher system, the state could save almost $380 million, he said at the Eau Claire debate.

Thompson said in an interview that he supports the legalization of medicinal marijuana and legalizing video poker machines to offset the state’s deficit.

Sophomore Brandon Buchanan, campus representative of Students for Ed Thompson, supports legalizing gambling at the local levels.

“What gives the state government the right to tell (local governments) ‘no’?” Buchanan asked. “The Founding Fathers would be appalled.”

The state needs a governor with honesty, integrity and the ability to decline offers from special interest groups, Thompson said.

“I’m a common man. I represent the common people,” Thompson said. “I’m not for sale and I think that’s what the state needs. Power belongs to the people.”

The Wisconsin Poll, a statewide poll released Tuesday, had Libertarian candidate Ed Thompson with 8 percent support of those surveyed. Doyle was ahead of McCallum 38 to 36 percent, Young had 4 percent and 11 percent were undecided.

A few weeks ago Thompson released a survey showing that 16 to 23 percent of people who watched the televised Eau Claire debate most likely would vote for him.

Thompson still expects to become Wisconsin’s next governor Nov. 5, even though he is a candidate without big campaign funds and opportunities to publicly debate with Doyle and McCallum.

“I think we really have a chance to win,” Thompson said. “I’m doing it the old-fashioned way.”