The recall process is finally over with, but the fight for middle class families continues.
This all started when Wisconsin’s governor Walker and the Republican legislature tried to ram through extremist legislation ending or reversing 50 years of collective bargaining rights. This after never having campaigned on that platform in the 2010 elections.
14 courageous Democrats fled the state to prevent quorum in the State Senate, delaying a vote on the measure, but the Republicans forced it through anyway. Then came more pieces of ALEC-supported, right-wing legislation, like a vote-suppressing voter ID law.
All of this activated voters and we beat back the Right Wing with two resounding victories for the Democrats in both of today’s State Senate races. Bob Wirch defeated Republican Jonathan Steitz with 58% to 42%. In the 12th District, Holperin, who won with 54% to challenger Kim Simac’s 46%.
I went door-to-door to help get out the vote with PFAW’s Political Director Randy Borntrager. Enthusiasm was high, with most we spoke to having already voted. Having met the voters who are affected by Walker’s policies, we’ve come to realize even more how important it was to send this message in these elections, to show Walker that Wisconsinites won’t sit back and let Republicans threaten their children’s future. More importantly, though, it reminded us that the road beyond the elections is the most crucial one. We are thrilled to have been involved in the recall elections, but the fight doesn’t stop here. The fight only stops when extreme Republicans can no longer jeopardize Wisconsinites’ – and ALL Americans’ – futures for the benefit of their friends at big corporations.