Union chances of ousting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in the June 5 recall election have grown dimmer with the coalition arrayed against him splintering behind the man the incumbent beat in 2010 and the state’s largest newspaper endorsing him for re-election.
Democratic challenger, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, is a man the unions love to hate because of his support for many of the same policies Walker has enforced against public-sector unions. Barrett’s anti-union record is such that they squandered several million dollars trying to beat him in the Democratic primary by backing liberal Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, who he smashed by 20 points.
Union antipathy for Barrett has combined with the Democrats’ inability to push a coherent message against Walker has served to their detriment. Barrett has chosen to focus on the economy and alleged corruption rather than on Walker’s collective-bargaining policies, which triggered the recall.
This contrasts with the Walker camp, which touts a strong economic message and strong ground game that includes more than 70 Young Republicans from around the country who are going door-to-door for Walker this weekend. And the Wisconsin state GOP plans to recruit supporters to participate in a 72-hour get out the vote drive in advance of the election.
Numerous conservative groups such as the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition have poured money into supporting Walker’s effort to beat back the unions.
At the same time, the Democratic National Committee has largely ignored the recall.
“No governor in recent memory has been so controversial. No governor in America is so polarizing. Everyone has an opinion about Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin,” the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel wrote in its editorial endorsing Walker’s re-election, citing his job creation record. “Here’s ours: We see no reason to remove Walker from office. We recommend him in the June 5 recall election.
“Even if you disagree with Walker’s policies, does that justify cutting short his term as governor? And if so, where does such logic lead? To more recall elections? More turmoil? It’s time to end the bickering and get back to the business of the state.”
