UNDATED (WRN) Another presidential visit to the Badger State.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to be in Madison Thursday, less than two weeks after a Milwaukee appearance. UW political scientist David Canon says it’s a sign that Wisconsin is once again an important state in the presidential race. “Wisconsin clearly is enjoying its status as a battleground state. For the last three or four election cycles we’ve been one of the key six, seven, eight states in the country in terms of winning the presidency. So both parties are giving Wisconsin a lot of attention again in this election cycle.”

The President will speak on Bascom Hill on the University of Wisconsin campus, the day after he and Republican Mitt Romney hold their first presidential debate. While stumping in the battleground state, Obama is expected to encourage his supporters to register and vote early. “President Obama does like Wisconsin because he has a strong base of support here, especially in Madison … all presidential candidates like to be able to come to an event where they’re gonna get tens of thousands of people, and clearly President Obama is able to draw those kinds of crowds here in Madison.”

Public opinion surveys show Democrat Obama with a wide lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney in Wisconsin, but Cannon says Obama isn’t taking the state as a “sure thing.” Obama drew a big crowd during his last Madison appearance on Library Mall two years ago, yet Democrats took a beating in the 2010 election in Wisconsin.

Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan will host a fund-raiser in Milwaukee Saturday night at the downtown Pfister Hotel.