Wisconsin recall elections: GOP holds off Democrats, Republican Governor Scott Walker seen as victor
Outraged Democrats came up just a hair short in their quest for Wisconsin revenge.
Republicans kept control of the state Senate Tuesday night, with Democrats picking up just two of six seats in a series of much-hyped recall elections.
The Democrats needed just one more seat to seize majority control of the chamber.
The recall elections were the result of a backlash over the Republicans' push earlier this year to strip government employees of collective-bargaining rights, which sparked weeks of protests in the state's capital.
Protesters stormed the capitol and state Democrats literally fled Wisconsin to deny Republicans the quorum they needed to vote on their controversial proposal. Eventually, the collective-bargaining rules became law, though the issue is still tied up in court.
Republicans viewed Tuesday night's results as a big win for Gov. Scott Walker, his Tea Party supporters and his conservative agenda in the key battleground state.
"Republicans are going to continue doing what we promised the people of Wisconsin - improve the economy and get Wisconsin moving back in the right direction," GOP Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement after the win.
The governor, however, struck a bipartisan tone after the dramatic victory.
"In the days ahead I look forward to working with legislators of all parties to grow jobs for Wisconsin and move our state forward," Walker said in a statement.
The Republicans now have a narrow 17-16 majority, but they could beef up the majority even more next week when two Democratic state senators face recall elections of their own, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Outraged Democrats came up just a hair short in their quest for Wisconsin revenge.
Republicans kept control of the state Senate Tuesday night, with Democrats picking up just two of six seats in a series of much-hyped recall elections.
The Democrats needed just one more seat to seize majority control of the chamber.
The recall elections were the result of a backlash over the Republicans' push earlier this year to strip government employees of collective-bargaining rights, which sparked weeks of protests in the state's capital.
Protesters stormed the capitol and state Democrats literally fled Wisconsin to deny Republicans the quorum they needed to vote on their controversial proposal. Eventually, the collective-bargaining rules became law, though the issue is still tied up in court.
Republicans viewed Tuesday night's results as a big win for Gov. Scott Walker, his Tea Party supporters and his conservative agenda in the key battleground state.
"Republicans are going to continue doing what we promised the people of Wisconsin - improve the economy and get Wisconsin moving back in the right direction," GOP Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement after the win.
The governor, however, struck a bipartisan tone after the dramatic victory.
"In the days ahead I look forward to working with legislators of all parties to grow jobs for Wisconsin and move our state forward," Walker said in a statement.
The Republicans now have a narrow 17-16 majority, but they could beef up the majority even more next week when two Democratic state senators face recall elections of their own, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
So despite spending millions and millions of dollars and branding the entire election as a referendum on union reform, the unions can't even recall three state senators in liberal districts?
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