Internal polling released today by Rep. Paul Ryan's challenger in District 1 shows Rob Zerban within eight points of the incumbent challenger. The polling, conducted before the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention, also shows 11 percent of likely voters in the district are still undecided and four percent are leaning toward Libertarian challenger Keith Deschler.

Due to the poll taking place before the conventions it doesn't take into account any positives or negatives that Ryan may have received from being in the spotlight as the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate.

Ryan defeated his 2010 Democratic opponent 68-30 and his 2008 opponent 64-35.

The news of the close race comes as Ryan makes a significant ad buy in the Milwaukee and Madison markets. According to Salon, "So far this year, he’s already outspent the last cycle by dropping $1.95 million in a race that’s months from over. That figure does include the $2 million ad buy. With the ad buy, by November, Ryan will have vastly outspent himself from previous years, not something you’d expect from an incumbent cruising to victory."

Jesse Russell

Co-Editor

Jesse was born and raised in Connecticut, began blogging in 1997, and moved to Madison in 2003. In 2005, he co-founded dane101 along with Kristian Knutson and Shane Wealti. In addition to helping nearly a dozen contributors run this website he's helped launch various events in the city including What's Your Damage?!, the MadPubQuiz of Awesomeness, the Fire Ball Masquerade, Dane101's Freakin' Halloweekend, and more.