November 7, 2012

The GOP recaptures the Wisconsin state legislature.

After losing the majority in the senate during the recall frenzy, they've got it back, as expected, and they retain their majority in the assembly, and the Governor is still, of course, Scott Walker (who cannot be re-recalled in the 2 years left in his term).

ADDED: Here's Walker's statement:
"[V]oters in this state are independent. They listen race by race to what the candidates have to offer. And they're not going to be swung one way or the other but rather by what they think is important by that given race."

Citing his own decisive recall victory last June, Walker said voters decided that his reforms were working "and we are providing good results. And they want more of that..." 

16 comments:

Freeman Hunt said...

Arkansas got its first GOP legislature in 138 years.

Shouting Thomas said...

See? All is not lost.

Now, if only they'd legalize 420 in NY and start selling it in Walmart!

Had a fantastic Old Dawgz rehearsal last night.

Going to spend the day playing music, learning some new programming and animation stuff, cleaning up the yard and going to the gym.

I've only got 10 to 15 years left of being in control of my own mind and bowels. Got to make the most of it.

Shanna said...

Arkansas got its first GOP legislature in 138 years.

Beaten by Freeman! I guess that's something to be happy about. It feels really really strange, too, oddly enough.

Also, we almost voted for medical marijuana, which is a trip.

campy said...

Scott Walker (who cannot be re-recalled in the 2 years left in his term).

But that indictment could come down any day now!

Farmer said...

And we voted Tammy Baldwin in and re-elected Obama.

I live among insane people.

Freeman Hunt said...

We added a sales tax and got Obama, big losses for the poor. But the casino issues were thrown out, a gain for the poor.

We'll see what our GOP legislature does. Lots of people in the pockets of big business around here--we'll see if they'll be conservative or go all in for corporate welfare.

It was nice to one guy we've supported from the beginning of his political career win our state senate seat.

Ann Althouse said...

"And we voted Tammy Baldwin in and re-elected Obama."

1. Tommy forgot to fight for it.

2. Dems tried to do a recall without having a viable candidate.

3. GOP folk need to be more like Scott Walker: determined, focused fiscal conservatives, without any of that retrograde social stuff.

TWM said...

I heard we won several more GOP governor seats as well.

The Dems can be proud of their accomplishment last night, but they shouldn't forget that their candidate is special. So special that the normal rules simply do not apply to him.

That won't be the case next time unless he manages to "executive order" himself into a third term. As Inga said, beware the executive order.

I just hope there's enough of America to salvage then.

Shanna said...

We added a sales tax

Yeah. How high do our sales taxes have to go, exactly, before people stop voting in more of them? Damn, we're already at 8 or 9%!

Farmer said...

Ann Althouse said...
"And we voted Tammy Baldwin in and re-elected Obama."

1. Tommy forgot to fight for it.


Yeah, people were all, "of course we'll vote for Walker and a GOP legislature - those guys fought for it! But Tommy - he didn't fight hard enough, so the job's yours, Tammy!"

3. GOP folk need to be more like Scott Walker: determined, focused fiscal conservatives, without any of that retrograde social stuff.

So all the Walker supporters in Wisconsin who voted for Obama and Baldwin were just upset that Romney wasn't conservative enough? I guess it's as likely an explanation as anything else.

Chuck said...

How does the State of Wisconsin do so magnificently, in affirming the Walker revolution from top to bottom, time after time...

...and then elect liberal Tammy Baldwin?

Known Unknown said...

...and then elect liberal Tammy Baldwin?

She's just a Senator who's not in charge of the actual state. Her impact on Wisconsin is marginalized by all of the other activities by all of the other members of the House and Senate.

Paddy O said...

If Wisconsin thrives, Scott Walker is set up to run in 2016.

I think Romney/Ryan represented the message well, but Obama hit them hard on the trust issue and the country decided that they couldn't be trusted--which makes sense given Romney's background. I think he would have been effective but most people didn't.

But, this is a comment for an Althouse blog post in the two year distant future.

Congrats Wisconsin.

Be the contrast to California and show which approach works in practice, not just in message.

shiloh said...

Althouse

Be thankful for small blessings.

Eagerly looking forward to your second anniversary trip down memory lane re: the WI union busting protest. Always a con crowd pleaser, pun intended.

It should divert nicely from Tammy and Barack winning WI.

Peter said...

The Farmer said, "So all the Walker supporters in Wisconsin who voted for Obama and Baldwin were just upset that Romney wasn't conservative enough?"

You're being too rational. More than a few people vote their emotions.

More than a few of those Obama voters did so on the basis of "I just don't like Romney- he's too rich and arrogant!" Which is to say, Obama's campaign was successful in defining Romney to at least some of the electorate.

And, Baldwin rode in on Obama's coattails, but, at least some of Baldwin's attacks ("Thompson profiting from his poltical connections!") stuck. Blame the press or lazy voters if you want, but negative campaigning works.

Which is to say, more than a few voters voted for Scott Walker and supported his retention and then voted for Baldwin- something which simply cannot be explained on the basis of reason.

Unknown said...

The Dems owe a debt of gratitude to Scott Walker, who is one of the main reasons why Obama won last night. He and John Kasich woke up a seemingly shellshocked and impotent Democratic party in the Midwest after the 2010 midterms, and energized them, by pursuing a hard right wing agenda after running for governor as moderate Republicans. If you have to deny who you are and what you stand for in order to win an election, like Romney did repeatedly, and like Walker and Kasich did in two of the most important swing states, you are in a lot of trouble politcally. If someone says "Hey, I just heard that the "rape guy" lost" and your response is "which one?" then your party is in a lot of trouble. Just saying . . . .