Democrats expect to win control of Wisconsin State Senate

[KingOrfeo]

HuffPo reports:

WASHINGTON -- Despite polls showing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) maintaining a narrow lead in his bid to fend off a recall challenge Tuesday, national Democrats said they remain confident the party will come out on top during the election.

Michael Sargeant, head of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national group focused on electing Democrats to state legislative seats, told HuffPost he is confident that Democrats can win the one state Senate seat they need to grab control of the chamber. Sargeant said polling data shows three of the four Senate recall races within the margin of error. "It is likely we'll pick up one seat," he said.

In addition to statewide recalls for governor and lieutenant governor, voters in four Wisconsin Senate districts have recall races of their own. Democrats said they have the strongest chance of defeating either Sen. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) or Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), or picking up a vacant Wausau area seat. Democrats are fielding former Rep. Kristin Dexter against Moulton and former Sen. John Lehman against Wanggaard. Democratic Rep. Donna Seidel and Republican Rep. Jerry Petrowski are facing off for the open state senate seat.

The seat became vacant when former Sen. Pam Galloway (R) resigned unexpectely in March as the recall campaign against her was finalized by state officials. Galloway said that her resignation was due to "multiple, sudden and serious health issues" in her family and was unconnected to the recall. State officials said the election would proceed as a special election. Galloway's resignation leaves the Senate tied.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Clyman), facing a recall challenge from Democrat Lori Compas, is seen as the frontrunner in the rural southeastern Wisconsin district. When Wisconsin Democrats unveiled Senate challengers for the first time in March, a Fitzgerald challenger was not among the group. While the district trends Republican, Sargaent gave credit to voters for forcing a recall against the Senate leader.

"I am not going to disregard what she has done," Sargeant said of Compas.

Following the 2011 recall elections, Democrats closed the Senate gap to one seat shy of the majority, with Galloway's resignation causing a tie in the chamber. The tie caused Fitzgerald and Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller (D-Monona) to become co-leaders pending Tuesday's election. In addition Walker faces a recall battle against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R) is facing off against state firefighters union president Mahlon Mitchell (D).

If Democrats retake the Senate with Walker remaining in the governor's mansion, the victory may be hollow. The state legislature has adjourned for the year and the Senate cannot return to Madison without the consent of the Republican-controlled Assembly, unless the governor calls them back. Half of the Senate faces voters in November. Democrats have said winning the majority in June can help with momentum for the November race.

Sargaent said he sees a Democratic Senate as positive for Wisconsin. "Having a Democratic Senate will restore some sense of sanity in state government," he said.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has helped Wisconsin candidates with research, polling and communications during the recall battle. While the recalls are dictated by specific Wisconsin issues, Sargeant said he believes that Democrats elsewhere are poised to pick up state legislative seats.

"What the Republicans have done is they ran on a platform of expanding jobs," Sargeant said. "That is the last thing they have talked about. It has been about a divisive social and economic agenda. It pits people against each other. It allienates neighbors and it takes away fundamental American rights."

 

[busybody..]

Loser QUEER ORAFRACE, STFU!

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/june-5-recall-election-results-155977565.html?ipad=y


KILL YOURSELF

 

[Cheyenne]

Democrats appeared to have assumed control of the state Senate with results posted early Wednesday showing former Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine) defeating incumbent Van Wanggaard in a tight race.

Republicans held on to three other state Senate seats in Tuesday's recall voting. Democratic challengers lost recalls bids against Sens. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls.).

Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Stettin) was elected to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Pam Galloway (R-Wausau), who resigned earlier this year after opponents gathered enough signatures to initiate a recall election.

All eyes Wednesday will be on the 21st District. Results posted early Wednesday showed Lehman with 36,255 votes to 35,476 for Wanggaard with 100% of precincts reporting. The margin of 779 could bring a recount.

In a statement, Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller said:

"Tonight, Wisconsinites across the 21st Senate District elected a new State Senator. By electing a Democratic Senate, the people of Wisconsin have opened the door to responsible dialogue and if needed provide a bulwark against continued political extremism, and restored checks and balances to the Wisconsin Legislature. I look forward to working again with Senator-elect Lehman in the State Senate in the coming months."

Wanggaard's campaign manager Justin Phillips issued his own statement, hinting at a recount:

"We owe it to all of Senator Wanggaard's supporters and the voters of Wisconsin to thoroughly examine the election and its results and act accordingly once we have all of the information."

The results bring an end - for now - to recall elections of lawmakers after the November 2010 election of Gov. Scott Walker and the firestorm that followed. Tuesday's results follow a series of recall elections in 2011 when Democrats picked up two seats in recalls involving nine senators, cutting into the Republican's majority. The majority slipped to a tie after Galloway's resignation.

If Lehman's win holds, Democrats assume a 17-16 majority, at least until next November's elections. It's unknown whether the Senate will convene in a special session before then.

In November, 16 of the 33 Senate seats are up for election.

Wanggaard's district - closely matched between Republicans and Democrats - covers much of Racine County. It's been one of the most volatile in recent Wisconsin history, flipping back and forth five times between the two parties in the last 22 years.

Incumbent senators have been re-elected only twice since 1990. Senators have been voted out of office four times.

Wanggaard and Lehman said the economy loomed above all else in the race. They touted their own legislative records while differing over whether Walker's policies were helping to turn things around.

While the candidates talked about jobs, the race centered as much on Walker and Republican policies as the two men's respective records in the Senate. Lehman criticized Wanggaard for supporting cuts in spending for education. Wanggaard countered by saying Republicans have avoided deficits without raising taxes. He dismissed the recall as a "do-over."

Campaign statements filed on May 29 show that Wanggaard raised more than $100,000 over a four-week period and had $23,445 on hand. Lehman raised $70,468 for the period, spent $102, 217 and had cash on hand of $62,001.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/3-gop-senators-survive-recalls-ib5jfeg-157395125.html

Dems in control is a temporary issue until November elections.

 

[NeverEndingMe]

oh KingofTards, another epic fail on your part!

 

[The_Trouvere]

Despite Scott Walker’s win, Obama outpolls Romney in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is on his way to victory in the state’s recall election tonight, but looking forward to the fall, the Obama campaign may have something positive to glean from the results.

While the totals have Walker ahead significantly, exit polls suggest he did it with a healthy dose of support from voters who are leaning toward President Obama in the fall...

Overall, the electorate that turned out today is backing Obama by a significant margin: 52 percent to 43 percent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...onsin/2012/06/05/gJQA0y3MHV_blog.html?hpid=z1

 

[The_Trouvere]

oh KingofTards, another epic fail on your part!

How so?

 

[Wrong Element]

How can this be possible? All I've heard for the last 12 hours is that the entire country is Republican now...

 

[koalabear]

How can this be possible? All I've heard for the last 12 hours is that the entire country is Republican now...

Pull your head out of your ass, you can hear better.

 

[NeverEndingMe]

How can this be possible? All I've heard for the last 12 hours is that the entire country is Republican now...

would you like some obama juice to help you get through this?

 

[unregistered]

 

[TexasWife25]

Does no one else find that every election cycle the redistricting and the purging of voter rolls and last min. changes to voter laws ... shady?

If you heard the side you don't vote for, was doing this, would you really be so passive in accepting it?

 

[unregistered]

 

[koalabear]

Sign of things to come.......

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/05/4538676/2-california-cities-vote-on-public.html

 

[unregistered]

 

[koalabear]

It could be a fad.

Will leisure suits make a comeback!

 

[unregistered]

 

[Wrong Element]

Does no one else find that every election cycle the redistricting and the purging of voter rolls and last min. changes to voter laws ... shady?

If you heard the side you don't vote for, was doing this, would you really be so passive in accepting it?

Redistricting comes after every census, though they have been known to make an exception in Texas.

The other stuff is obviously an attempt to rig the system.

 

[Liar]

It's been a fact of political life all of my life. It's part and parcel of most state constitutions. This is why elections matter. This is why your vote is so important.

...until someone gerrymanders it into irrelevancy, that is.

 

[unregistered]