Wisconsin Dem Staves Off GOP Recall Challenge

By Kenneth R. Bazinet

One day, people in Wisconsin will say, “Do you recall the summer of 2011?”

But so far, if you are a Badger State Republican you may not want to remember the summer of the recalls.

The Democrats drew first blood in the recall elections touched off by GOP Gov. Scott Brown’s anti-worker policies that cut into benefits for public employees. The Republican-controlled state Senate rubber-stamped Walker’s notorious budget — a move that painted a target on the foreheads of a half-dozen state GOP lawmakers.

After deflecting primary challenges last week by “fake” Democrats put up by the GOP to try to unseat the incumbent (and real) Democrats, the party of Obama and Pelosi appears to have the momentum.

Democratic Sen. Dave Hansen of Green Bay handily defeated Republican recall organizer David VanderLeest yesterday in the first of the recall general elections. Hansen claimed 66% of the vote to VendeLeests’s 34%.

But in a lopsided buckraking battle, Hansen raised $318,000 compared to Vandereest’s $2,000. It gave Hansen a huge advertising advantage.

Republicans will be beter financed and armed with ads in the next round of recalls.

Eight state Senate recall elections remain in Wisconsin: Six challenging Republicans and two against sittting Democrats. Those votes are set for next month.

“The people of Green Bay are sending a strong message to undemocratic leaders who are ramming through attacks on Wisconsin workers and communities,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt.

“Wisconsin will not stand for it. Today’s results show that momentum is continuing to build for working family candidates as we head into the August general elections and that voters are serious about turning this state around,” Neuenfeldt added.

Read more from Kenneth R. Bazinet at The Baz File.