Chris Cillizza’s Friday Line includes a note on Wisconsin’s race for governor. Incumbent Jim Doyle (D) was facing low approval ratings even before this week, when state official Georgia Thompson was convicted on charges that she steered a $750,000 travel contract to Doyle campaign contributors.

Doyle’s opponent Rep. Mark Green (R) has taken heat for being a “part-time congressman,” missing House votes while he campaigns for governor, but Cillizza calls the election a referendum on Doyle. A Strategic Vision poll (reg. req.) shows his approval rating steadily dipping since October, and now Green has inched ahead of the incumbent with a 46%-45% head-to-head lead.

With Doyle on the defensive this week, he seems to be courting the religious vote, establishing a state office to partner with faith-based organizations. Green tried to steal his thunder in a press release stating he had the idea first.