Wisconsin’s divisive law ending most public-sector collective bargaining set in motion the biggest lawmaker-recall vote in state history, officials said.
Nine recall elections — beginning Tuesday with primaries in six state Senate districts — is “nothing like anyone in Wisconsin or, for that matter, the nation, has seen,” state Government Accountability Board spokesman Reid Magney told The Wall Street Journal.
And unlike in most states, Democratic challengers to six targeted Republican lawmakers are opposed by six Republicans running as Democrats — under Wisconsin’s open-primary system, which lets anyone of any party run in any primary.
Real and “fake” Democrats running against each other, along with two sets of primaries this month and two general elections next month, may confuse voters, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said.
The election outcome will determine if Republicans, who took control of both legislative chambers and the governor’s seat in November’s general election, stay in control of the state Senate.
A change of three Senate seats will shift the chamber’s balance of 19 Republicans and 14 Democrats to Democratic control, which analysts say could ruin Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s drive to press his ambitious legislative agenda.
Republicans will continue to control the state Assembly.
Democrats have railed against Republicans for forcing the primaries, which will cost taxpayers more than $475,000 and give Republican incumbents four more weeks to campaign, the Journal Sentinel said.
Full Article: Wis. recall votes: Real vs. ‘fake’ Dems – UPI.com.