Wisconsin Recall Election Today

In honor of the third ever governor facing a recall election today, Progress Texas would like to sincerely thank Scott Walker and his “governance” for not only giving Democratic challenger Mayor Tom Barrett and the people of Wisconsin the opportunity to reclaim their state from a corporate plutocracy, but also for highlighting the absolute failure of ideological conservative policy better than any progressive organization ever could. The very existence of this recall election is a victory and testament to the hard work of Wisconsin progressives – we’d like to say that today we stand in solidarity with them and our friends at One Wisconsin Now.

If you can make calls today, go to this AFL-CIO site and help our friends in Wisconsin!

Public Policy Polling’s final poll regarding Wisconsin’s well publicized recall election today provides evidence of a tightening race. The newly released numbers indicate Walker leading his Democratic challenger, Tom Barrett, 50-47. A three percent margin of error makes the race, for all intents and purposes, a statistical tie. Three weeks ago Walker led polls with a larger gap of 52-45, demonstrably indicating a shrinking margin and possible shift in momentum towards his challenger, Barrett. Key findings of the poll show that Barrett is leading amongst statistically important independent voters, 48-46. Dean Debnam, President of PPP believes “What’s going to determine Tuesday’s outcome is pretty simple… If Democrats turn out in the same numbers that they did in 2008 Tom Barrett will win a surprise victory. And if they don’t Scott Walker will survive.”

The importance of the race, both symbolically and policy-wise, is apparent from the massive influx of out of state campaign spending. Over half of Walker’s cash has come from out of state “dark money” donors. The Republican Governors Association has spent about $1.5 million in recent weeks on get-out-the-vote efforts in order to counter the traditional Democratic advantage in this arena. This previously unreported expenditure comes on the heels of about $8 million the RGA has already spent on campaign commercials and electoral supplements. Unsurprisingly, Americans for Prosperity, a well-known and influential political advocacy group of Koch brother origins with close ties to both Walker and ALEC, has spent over $10 million in the state over the past year claiming to have influenced some 110,000 Wisconsinites to take political action.

What has spurred such national interest in terms campaign dollars, media coverage, and constituent activity in this recall election is of significant importance to progressives. The election isn’t merely a clash of policy differences between Wisconsin’s Republican and Democratic parties. This election is about a divisive and toxic atmosphere cultivated by Walker and his Republican allies; the subjugation of environmental protections to the will of billionaire profits; the illegal silencing of opposing voices; the idea that workers should be stripped of their rights and protections; and the sociopathic philosophy that the most fortunate should profit from the suffering of the least fortunate. Fundamentally, this election isn’t about “policy differences,” but instead about the very survival of Wisconsin’s non-millionaire constituents.