Wisconsin Senate Recall-a-palooza: 2012 Edition

[Brittain33]

Senator Hopper's mistress got a job with the state of Wisconsin last month. Coincidence?

And if not for the union busting bill, he might have gotten away with it through 2012.

[Brittain33]

Signature-gatherers in one recall race got signatures by bribing people with drinks--"shots for signatures."

I don't care so much about the fraud angle, it's nearly impossible to stamp this kind of thing out. But perhaps it indicates that the petitions may not demonstrate the strength in the voting booth that supporters hope.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/21/wisconsin-recall-shots_n_851459.html

[Brittain33]

Cowles becomes #6 on Thursday. I'll save you the trouble of going back two screens, his district went heavily but not Milwaukee-suburb-heavily for Prosser, so he's not likely to lose.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/wis-dems-to-file-recall-petitions-against-sixth-goper.php?ref=fpi

[Brittain33]

Laid-off teacher Shelly Moore is running against Harsdorf. Sounds like kind of a weak recruit in comparison to the succession of state representatives that have been announcing lately.

Well, if she teaches drama, she should be good on the stump.

[Brittain33]

Tommy Thompson spilled the beans on an internal poll that had Harsdorf ahead by 2 points, 49-47.

Wowza.

[Brittain33]

I think absentees are counted on election night in Wisconsin.

So, here's what last night shows:

1. Republican incumbents who are not scandal-plagued are still capable of winning Republican districts.
2. Democrats are still capable of winning Democratic districts.

In other words... pretty much nothing.

Yep. I think this is good enough. It shows we're not heading back to 2006/2008 any time soon (which anyone should have recognized) but 2010 is receding in the rear view mirror.

[Brittain33]

Time to get ready to recall Jim Holperin!

Thank God the Republicans drew a terrible candidate there.

[Brittain33]

Time to get ready to recall Jim Holperin!

Thank God the Republicans drew a terrible candidate there.

What is the Walker % there?

Dunno. How would you rate Simac as a candidate vs. Walker? More skilled and electable, about equal, or not as strong? How about Holperin vs. the Dem who ran?

[Brittain33]

Does any other Democrat feel kind of relieved about this result because at least it meant that Walker ramming through all that legislation before the recalls didn't result in laws passing that wouldn't have passed anyway? I feel better about that.

[Brittain33]

Well, it's not that bad, because
B. We will recall Walker next year

You think? Between this and the Prosser result, I wouldn't think that Walker could be successfully recalled. There may be benefit in trying and putting him through that, but I expect he'd be reelected by a narrow margin.

[Brittain33]

Haha, oh wow.  Not even Walker's bragging.

Walker got what he wanted, so he can tack moderate now. The heavy lifting is done.

Well, in this country, "moderate" translates to "weak".  Especially on Republican standards.  This is a huge showing of weakness.

No Republican's going to lose faith in Walker for quite some time after the wins he racked up before the recalls. He's free to say what he wants to in order to win reelection.

[Brittain33]

Great, so if we can get Scott Walker to have a scandal approximately 3% (1/33) as embarrassing as leaving your wife for your aide and shacking up together, he will lose a recall narrowly.

[Brittain33]

I like how Republicans are saying Democrats spent the most money, and how Democrats are saying that Republicans spent the most money.

Does anyone have any verifiable facts they could lay down?

I read that the Dems outspent the GOP 2 to 1...but that was a few days ago and don't have a link to it. I found it somewhat hard to believe but it was written by a neutral source. I swear! 

I wonder if that accounts for how much Republican money is funneled through independent orgs these days.

[Brittain33]

The GOP has a new improved candidate for the 18th district which was lost due to Randy Hopper's mistress.

One of three city council members in a village of 687 people, cool.

[Brittain33]

Democrats will really get wiped out if they keep this temper tantrum going by blocking popular/necessary legislation.  You have to get serious at some point.

Thanks for the advice, but given the trend in the WI legislature isn't toward the Dems being "wiped out", that Obama's going to be on the ballot in November, not to mention how well obstruction's worked for Republicans in Congress, Dems might not take it in the sincere spirit in which it's being offered.

[Brittain33]

Democrats will really get wiped out if they keep this temper tantrum going by blocking popular/necessary legislation.  You have to get serious at some point.

Thanks for the advice, but given the trend in the WI legislature isn't toward the Dems being "wiped out", that Obama's going to be on the ballot in November, not to mention how well obstruction's worked for Republicans in Congress, Dems might not take it in the sincere spirit in which it's being offered.

You're forgetting redistricting, which was passed by Walker and the Fitzgeralds. It's a virtual certainty Republicans retake the Senate in November (unless Democrats get lucky and it's a Dem landslide year, in which case they'll have to wait for the inevitable snapback in 2014).

Ok, so the Dems suffering "backlash" and punishment for their behavior isn't the driving factor.