Apparently the two state Senate seats Democrats picked up in recall elections in Wisconsin this month have far-reaching ramifications as word comes now that Ohio GOP Gov. John Kasich is ready to make a deal with unions to avoid a similar repeal vote in November.
Like Wisconsin, the GOP-controlled state legislature in Ohio passed a union-busting law banning strikes and limiting rights for more than 350,000 teachers, police officers and other public workers. Unions successfully launched an effort to repeal the law by bringing the issue before the voters of Ohio in November.
With polls showing the majority of Ohioans want the law to be repealed, and seeing how close Democrats came to winning control of the Wisconsin Senate in recall elections, Kasich said today he and other top GOP lawmakers want to sit down tomorrow with unions to work out a deal to avoid a referendum showdown in his state, according to the Associated Press.
About 56% of Ohio voters want the collective bargaining law to be repealed, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll, and the unions have loaded up their war chest with about $7 million for the repeal fight.
The same poll shows public support for Kasich slipping.
Read more from Kenneth R. Bazinet at the Baz File.