Wisconsin recall elections today - huge turnout

[Riot]

Turnout estimated to be almost as high as national Presidential election 2008. From Politico:

The recall contests have been thoroughly nationalized, accompanied by the total war ethos and scorched earth tactics that typically mark national races. The reason? Both sides view Tuesday as the first major battle of the 2012 election.
...
Yet the ripples from Tuesday’s election will reach well beyond Wisconsin’s borders. Successfully recalling even half of the six senators who voted with Walker would invigorate the liberal base both within the key battleground state and outside it just as the 2012 presidential campaign begins to heat up. It would also send a powerful message to Republicans about the risks of a head-on confrontation with labor. For the GOP, a successful defense of the seats would serve as a validation of their bold statehouse agenda in the aftermath of the 2010 elections.
...
Then there are the third party groups, which are far outspending the candidates. They’ve poured in more than $30 million , according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks political spending. That’s just shy of the $37 million total spent on last year’s governor’s race.

From the left, it’s the Progressive Change Campaign Committee; Howard Dean’s Democracy for America; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union. On the right, it’s Tea Party Express, Americans for Prosperity and the Club for Growth.

The winners: Republicans hold 4 seats, Democrats take over 2 former GOP seats

State Senate - District 2
Cowles , Robert (i) GOP 27,543 60%
Nusbaum , Nancy Dem 18,039 40%

State Senate - District 8
Darling , Alberta (i) GOP 39,471 54%
Pasch , Sandra Dem 34,096 46%

State Senate - District 10
Harsdorf , Sheila (i) GOP 37,099 58%
Moore , Shelly Dem 27,250 42%

State Senate - District 14
Olsen , Luther (i) GOP 26,554 52%
Clark , Fred Dem 24,365 48%

State Senate - District 18
King , Jessica Dem 28,187 51%
Hopper , Randy (i) GOP 26,937 49%

State Senate - District 32
Shilling , Jennifer Dem 33,192 55%
Kapanke , Dan (i) GOP 26,724 45%

[Danzig]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44085848/ns/us_news/

so much for that effort. 30 million spent on the recalls, and the end result maintains the republican majority. two dems up for recall votes. some in the state want to attempt to recall the governor, but they concede it'll be tough to maintain momentum in that regard, since they have to wait til november.

[joeydb]

Now we'll see if the two Democrats are recalled on August 16.

[Danzig]

it doesn't really matter if they get recalled. it would only be of interest if it was two republicans. there's no chance at this point of a change in majority, which was the point of the effort.

[dellinger63]

The People of Wisconsin have spoken. And before anyone gets confused this had nothing to do with private sector unions and everything to do with overpaid, overstaffed, over-benefitted public workers.

Now the governor can get back to work and all of the out-of-state union reps and their money can go back home.

Hopefully other states in similar financial trouble will follow the game plan.

Your enthusiasm for people losing their jobs is sickening. I don't give a f.uck if they're government employees. They're Americans and you're a stupid RINO loving c.unt.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Your enthusiasm for people losing their jobs is sickening. I don't give a f.uck if they're government employees. They're Americans and you're a stupid RINO loving c.unt.

[geeker2]

As Meat Loaf said "now don't be sad..cause two out of three ain't bad"

But I am going to miss all these Wisconsin threads....

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Your enthusiasm for people losing their jobs is sickening. I don't give a f.uck if they're government employees. They're Americans and you're a stupid RINO loving c.unt.

No one is losing their job. They're just going to have to kick in for their health insurance and pension. You know like the rest of America. And the only reason I do give a shiat about Gov employees is because I pay their salary.

When you grow up and start paying taxes maybe you'll feel the same.

Originally Posted by dellinger63

No one is losing their job. They're just going to have to kick in for their health insurance and pension. You know like the rest of America. And the only reason I do give a shiat about Gov employees is because I pay their salary.

When you grow up and start paying taxes maybe you'll feel the same.

Unless you're a multimillionaire and live in Wisconsin then your feigned outrage is just that.

I'm sick of you broke RINO lovers who think that having six figures in the bank and other investments puts you in the club with the elite.

You're not. All you are is an idiot who likes seeing people suffer because you have delusions of paying for their salary.

Take those pennies and shove them up your cavernous as.shole, b.itch.

[nebrady]

So after 31 million has been spent on this recall election, what happens the republicans stay in control. It just goes to show you that the people agree with what walker is doing. He was elected to fix the mess that was left behind. Balance the budget, get rid of deficit and stop the train debacle. As for you people who think he cost people jobs, he hasn't hes just doing what it takes to fix the mess left by doyle. Too bad obama isn't paying attention he could learn from walker. Oh by the way by this time next week the republicans could gain 2 more seats. Hopefully now the protesters will leave our state so we don't have to investigate anymore ballon popping incidents!

[dellinger63]

http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/aug...ate-elsewhere/

The good news!

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/aug...ate-elsewhere/

The good news!

This is even better !!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/...e.html?showall


Ror!!

[Riot]

LOL - I'm sorry I was late to this party. I see the union-busters have already had their day in the sun. So let's put this in a different light without the desperate spin:

Six conservative long-time-Republican districts in Wisconsin were so infuriated with what their elected officials were doing, that they got enough signatures to hold recall elections of every eligible GOP candidate they had in office.

The Republicans, on the other hand, could only muster recall elections against three of the five Democrats eligible. One already won his election. Two more are coming up.

These conservative Republican districts then were so mad at what their Republican representatives were doing to their state, they kicked out two of their own Republican representatives, and replaced them with Democrats.

It's fun to try and spin this as a "Republican win" - for losing two of your staunchly GOP seats? To Democrats? In bright red conservative districts?

To put this in perspective, only 13 times in this nations history have voters elected to recall state officials.

Wisconsin now holds the record with 2 at once, and it was kicking GOP out of their own conservative districts, too.

These new Democrats in the Senate, along with the Republican Senator Schultz, who has started caucusing with the Democrats (as he's not a Walker pawn, he votes with his conscience) gives the Democrats equal sway with the Republicans, effecting requiring both parties to have a crossover vote to get anything passed.

Walker's agenda has been removed from the fast-track. He no longer holds an automatic majority. He's been rendered "bipartisan" if he wants anything to pass.

This is no "reinforcement" of Walker's agenda: these popular Republicans were not elected last fall. Quite the opposite - they were elected two years ago, and were popular in their districts. They have nothing to do with Walker, other than voting for Walker's ALEC-RGA-Koch agenda goals.

The third race with Darling was neck and neck for hours, with Republican Stooge Kathy the Clerk (she of the "oh, look I found 7,000 more votes for my man a day later) trying again to withhold revealing votes until tomorrow (today). That brought an immediate rain of charges of voter fraud and legal hassle down on her head - thus she let them go, although it wasn't until near or after midnight. The other candidate did lose by few percentage points.

Overall: Walker recall in January goes forward, with a very fired-up Wisconsin.

And Walker has some worries, because his recall won't be conservative districts kicking out Republicans. He has two massive Democratic strongholds he has to carry and outnumber.

Yesterday also had a recall election in NH, where a GOP was replaced by a Democratic.

So those in Michigan and Ohio, also with recalls under consideration, are very excited for the momentum.

As is the Democratic party going into 2012, where current polling shows they have a good change of retaking the House.

ROR !

The additional problem is that all of these Republicans, even the ones that one, performed far worse than their previous winners. The Republican brand is not strong nor as supported going forward.

If you are a polling geek, this is bad news for the Republican brand, to have lost so much cred so quickly.
Five of the six districts have markedly dropped in Republican support this recall election

Comparison of Republican/Democratic Margins, 2010 General vs. 2011 Recall

SD-02 2010 Gubernatorial:
Walker (R) +16.1%
2010 Senate: Johnson (R) +18.6%
2011 Recall: Cowles (R) +20.8%

SD-08
2010 Gubernatorial: Walker (R) +9.0%
2010 Senate: Johnson (R) +8.5%
2011 Recall: Darling (R) +7.3%

SD-10:
2010 Gubernatorial: Walker (R) +18.4%
2010 Senate: Johnson (R) +16.9%
2011 Recall: Harsdorf (R) +15.3%

SD-14:
2010 Gubernatorial: Walker (R) +16.5%
2010 Senate: Johnson (R) +16.3%
2011 Recall: Olsen (R) +4.3%

SD-18:
2010 Gubernatorial: Walker (R) +15.7%
2010 Senate: Johnson (R) +19.0%
2011 Recall: King (D) +2.2%

SD-32:
2010 Gubernatorial: Walker (R) +0.7%
2010 Senate: Feingold (D) +1.7%
2011 Recall: Shilling (D) +10.8%

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Unless you're a multimillionaire and live in Wisconsin then your feigned outrage is just that.

I'm sick of you broke RINO lovers who think that having six figures in the bank and other investments puts you in the club with the elite.

You're not. All you are is an idiot who likes seeing people suffer because you have delusions of paying for their salary.

Take those pennies and shove them up your cavernous as.shole, b.itch.

Although you picked a fine target...little hypocritical of you, don't ya thank?



Your anger is so selective.

[dellinger63]

Sounds like a speech you'd give a t-ball team after they lost for the second time. I'll predict with the outside union influence defeated and gone from the State 2 of the 3 dem seats will go over to the GOP next week.

Glad you feel so good losing though. Good game!

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it doesn't really matter if they get recalled. it would only be of interest if it was two republicans. there's no chance at this point of a change in majority, which was the point of the effort.

One of the GOP Senators, Schultz, is against Walkers agenda (voted against the union busting bill) and tends to vote independently, and has been caucusing with Democrats.

So there is no automatic Republican majority any more

[Riot]

Originally Posted by geeker2

As Meat Loaf said "now don't be sad..cause two out of three ain't bad"

But I am going to miss all these Wisconsin threads....

Oh, there will be plenty more, don't worry

[Riot]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

Sounds like a speech you'd give a t-ball team after they lost for the second time. I'll predict with the outside union influence defeated and gone from the State 2 of the 3 dem seats will go over to the GOP next week.

Glad you feel so good losing though. Good game!

Spin, spin, spin. It's kinda desperate and sad.

Right now it's Democrats 3 Republicans 3, with 2 games to go, and both are skewed heavily Dem.

Dems already won their home game, and they just stole 2 of yours last night. Looks like it will be Dems 5 GOP 3 in the end.

Dell: there are only 2 Dem seats next week. And out of all the "outside influence", your girl Darling was the winner, setting a new state election record. The GOP outspent the Dems 2 to 1.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Riot

One of the GOP Senators, Schultz, is against Walkers agenda (voted against the union busting bill) and tends to vote independently, and has been caucusing with Democrats.

So there is no automatic Republican majority any more

You do realize the union bill was signed into law almost six months ago?

At least if the recall of Walker goes foward we'll be assured that those who cast a vote will actually be that person or at least have a valid ID proving such.