Recall Elections

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

The Republicans retained the State Senate in Wisconsin yesterday:

Democrats won two state Senate seats in Tuesday's historic recall elections, but failed to capture a third seat that would have given them control of the chamber.

By keeping a majority in the Senate, Republicans retained their monopoly on state government because they also hold the Assembly and governor's office. Tuesday's elections narrowed their majority - at least for now - from 19-14 to a razor-thin 17-16.

Consider me very surprised, as I assumed we'd see at least 3-4 switch over. Of the losses, one was from a Republican in Democratic territory, and the other was immersed in a number of scandals.

What does this say about Walker and the Republicans in Wisconsin? About the local impact of the changes in how the public sector deals with unions? Heck, about the popularity of the arguments put forth about the unions at all?

There are two recall elections for next week for Democratic incumbents, as well. I haven't seen polling for them yet.

Comments

[ironhawke.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with Kylinrouge on the ignorance part. Most (and I will gladly stand by that statement) people are completely ignorant of the broader picture, and inconsequential things like "facts." Thus, the people that a person votes for is more often a result of:

Party Affiliation
Media Endorsements
Advertising!
Single Issue Voting
etc

I think it's obvious that the people in TP (and other political comms) tend to be the outliers, we actively research political issues rather than regurgitate sound bites.

The reason that voting changes in scope each year (in general) is not that people are less ignorant, but that the people voting are coming out in larger numbers for (XYZ) candidate. The silent masses can often disagree with the vote results, but couldn't be bothered to show up at the polls.

(The aforementioned was directed at ALL parties, not simply one or the other. IMO the reason that 2008 was such a slaughterhouse for example wasn't that the tide of American opinion had necessarily changed drastically - the 2010 elections proved that - but that the Republican base was so beaten down that they stayed home.)

[existentme.livejournal.com]

You left "good hair" off your list - unless maybe that comes under single issue voting.