Little Rock -- This morning, in the Wisconsin Assembly Parlor of the State Capitol, Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton announced her support for General Wesley Clark's campaign for president. Lawton, the highest-ranking state official to endorse a primary candidate so far, is now the Wisconsin Chair of the Clark 04 campaign.

"I am honored to have the support of so many Wisconsin leaders," said General Wesley Clark. "With such a strong team, my campaign here is off to a running start."

Lawton, leading a long list of political, business, and community leaders, introduced General Clark.

Current and former elected officials who endorsed General Clark this morning include: Rep. Spencer Black of Madison, Rep. Marlin Schneider of Wisconsin Rapids, Rep. Lena Taylor of Milwaukee, Rep. Dave Travis of Westport, Dane County Clerk Joe Parisi, former Rep. Lou Fortis of Milwaukee, former Sen. Rod Moen, former Rep. Barbara Notestein, former Rep. Rosemary Potter, and the former Chair of the Madison City Council, Eve Galanter.

Among the troop of endorsers were Retired Major Hank Simon, a member of General Clark's class at West Point, and Representative Lena Taylor, a former board member of the NAACP. Representative Dave Travis, the former Assembly Majority Leader, endorsed General Clark even before he announced that he was running for president.

Other community and business leaders rallying behind General Clark include President of Wisconsin Power and Light Nino Amato, Madison civic activist Nan Cheney, Milwaukee businesswoman Julilly Kohler, former Racine County Democratic Party Chair Jerry Greenfield, Caledonia Town Chair Susan Greenfield, real estate developer Nick Ladopoulos, and John Raihala, a member of the board of the Wisconsin Civil Justice Education Foundation.