It seemed like a cynical ploy by desperate politicians, but one that might work.

 

Wisconsin Republicans, faced with six state senate recall elections over their backing of Governor Scott Walker’s budget measure that eviscerated the collective bargaining rights of public employees, insisted that there be primary elections first to select the Democratic Party opponents. And then they stacked the primary with “fake” Democrats.

 

Each “real” Democrat had a primary opponent promoted by the state Republican Party, which maintained this was its way of protesting the recall campaigns. But the “real” Democrats swept all six contests, five of them by substantial margins.

 

They will face the Republican incumbents on August 9.

 

Three Democratic state senators also face recall elections, ostensibly for fleeing the state with their senate colleagues earlier in the year to avoid a vote on Governor Walker’s legislation. Two Republican primaries on July 19 will select their opponents without any annoying “fake” Republicans on the ballot. A third recall election on that date will pit an incumbent Democrat against his Republican challenger.

 

The final recall election for the remaining two Democrats is scheduled for August 16.

-Ken Broder

 

6 Fake Democrats Fall, Setting Stage for GOP Recalls (by Tim Tolan, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Democrats Win Early Victory in Wisconsin Recall Primary (by Brendan O’Brien, Reuters)