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| State Senator John Lehman |
Lehman won 51 to 49 percent, with a margin of just 221 votes out of 72,000 cast.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the rest of his Republican team survived the recall election with the help of the Koch brothers and their billionaire
mega-millions.
The Republicans outspent the Democrats 20 to 1 in this bitterly fought recall campaign. Two-and-a-half million people voted, which was 300,000 less state officials had projected.
Senate GOP leader Scott Fitzgerald and Chippewa Falls Republican Terry
Moulton each won their contests with 57 and 58 percent of the
vote. Assembly Republican Jerry Petrowski took 61 percent, defeating Assembly Democrat Donna Seidel for the Senate seat
vacated when recall target Pam Galloway resigned in March.
Republican Rebecca Kleefisch stays on as Lieutenant Governor, after
defeating Mahlon Mitchell 53 to 47
percent.
Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Mahlon Mitchell, the president of
Wisconsin’s Professional Firefighters Association, made it clear there’s
plenty of fight left in the Democratic Party and Wisconsin's Labor Movement, despite Tuesday’s devastating loss.
"This is a fight that we have to keep up and we cannot stop. I can tell
you right now that I’m not done with this fight. And I know the man
behind me – Mayor Barrett – is not done with this fight. I will continue
to fight and I will continue to speak out against the injustices of
this state. And we gotta keep going. We cannot stop. He is trying to
divide and conquer us. We cannot let that happen right? Right? Are you
ready to fight?”
More than a thousand people gathered at the State Capitol last night as the
returns were coming in. Barrett, the Milwaukee mayor, told supporters to
keep fighting for what they believe in.
State Democratic Party Chairman
Mike Tate said his side was badly out-spent, but the recall battle was
still worth fighting. And Tate said it would be a mistake to call
Wisconsin a “red state” now.
AFL-CIO's President, Richard Trumka, released the following
statement on Tuesday night:
"Tonight working families across the country recognize the courageous
journey that nurses, teachers, firefighters, snowplow drivers and other
Wisconsinites led for more than a year."
"Though a seemingly impossible
task, they refused to allow their voices be taken away by an
overreaching and partisan governor. Whether it was standing in the snow,
sleeping in the Capitol, knocking on doors or simply casting a vote, we
admire the heart and soul everyone poured into this effort. Adding to
this gargantuan challenge of recalling only the third governor in
American history was the flood of secret corporate cash distorting our
democracy – a dangerous example of a post-Citizens United America."
"We wanted a different outcome, but Wisconsin forced the governor to
answer for his efforts to divide the state and punish hard-working
people. Their resolve has inspired a nation to follow their lead and
stand up for the values of hard work, unity, and decency that we believe
in. We hope Scott Walker heard Wisconsin: Nobody wants divisive
policies. It’s time to work together to forge a new path forward. The
challenge to solve a generation of economic policies and create an
economy that celebrates hard work over a partisan agenda gained momentum
today."
Labor leaders and Democratic Party leaders need to regroup and assess how to change our political strategy and tactics going forward. Clearly, being outspent 20 to 1 doesn't work. Having our Democrat President of the United States not show up, nor speak up, didn't help either. Solidarity is key, it is also as uncommon as common sense these days.
We can't afford to come up short like this in November, so back to work everyone, we have some big time changes to make and challenges to overcome.
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