Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has seen his Republican Senate majority cut from 5 votes to 1 vote.
Wisconsin Republicans failed to pick up any breathing room Tuesday, losing both Senate recall elections leaving their majority at just one vote. Before the recall elections spurred by anger over Governor Scott Walker’s anti-union legislation, Republicans had a comfortable five vote margin.
Senator Jim Holperin (D-Conover) beat challenger and tea party activist Kim Simac of Eagle River. Senator Bob Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie) easily topped Republican lawyer Jonathan Steitz.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said the recalls will force Governor Walker to take a more moderate approach. “The victories tonight of Senators Wirch and Holperin cap off successful recall elections this summer for Democrats, progressives, moderates and independents. Democrats won more races, recalled two Republican senators, protected every Democratic incumbent, shifted the balance of power in the state Senate away from conservatives, and forced Walker and the GOP to pay public lip service to moderation and bipartisanship for the first time since they took power in January. All of these facts show that voters gave Democrats the overall victory in this summer’s historic senate recall elections.”
