John Nichols: Wisconsin Democrats Easily Outpoll Scott Walker as Recall Race Is Set

[WI_DEM]

Walker got a lot of Republicans to the poils, winning 626,538 votes -- almost twice what he received in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary. He easily beat his GOP challenger this year, young activist Arthur Kohl-Riggs, who ran as a "Real Republican," arguing that Walker had broken faith with the true values of the party of Abraham Lincoln and the progressive reformers of a century ago.

But Walker's 626,538 was far behind the 665,436 received by Barrett, Falk, Vinehout and La Follette.

Presuming that most of the 19,920 votes cast for Kohl-Riggs will go to Barrett in the general election (while the 4,842 votes cast for a Walker-allied "fake Democrat" in the Democratic primary will go to the governor), that means that the anti-Walker vote was 55,000 votes ahead of the pro-Walker total.

Everyone agrees that turnout will be dramatically higher for the June 5 general election. And no one is predicting that Barrett will have an easy time of it running against Walker, who has raised more than $25 million, mostly from out-of-state conservative donors, and who enjoys the enthusiastic backing of right-wing blllionaires such as Charles and David Koch.

But Barrett, charged into the race, declaring Tuesday night that: "This is a historic election. We all know it's a historic election."

http://www.thenation.com/blog/167779/wisconsin-democrats-easily-outpoll-scott-walker-recall-race-set

I wouldn't say Dems 'easily outpolled' Walker. It seems Walker got a pretty high vote even though he had insignificant opposition. I think it shows that both sides are going to have a lot of intensity going into the special election next month.

[malaise]

1. Bravo Wisconsinites

Recall that scumbag!!

[earthside]

2. Repuglican lies.

Yup. Repuglicans and right-wing talkers are in full "lie your head off" mode today about Wisconsin.

I heard two right-wing radio blabbers this morning claiming that Walker received more votes in his primary contest than all of the Democratic candidates combine.

It isn't true, of course.

Total Democratic votes in governor's primary contest: 670,278

Votes for Walker: 626,538
Votes for Kohl-Riggs: 19,920
Total Repuglican votes in governor's primary contest: 646,458

Both contests had "fake" candidates -- 'Democrat' Gladys Huber 4,842 votes and 'Republican' Arthur Kohl-Riggs.

Interestingly, in the Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary the total votes cast was 758,070. Not being from Wisconsin, I don't know what that means, but that is 87,000+ more votes than were cast in the Dem governor primary race.

[kentuck]

3. That is a good sign...

...but much too close.

[rurallib]

4. Just want to wish you our best for a successful outcome.

[Old Vet]

5. Iam personally proud of the dems in WI

Walkers first bill was to repeal equal pay for women, How any woman can vote R this year just baffles me?

[Greybnk48]

6. I know several Dems who did not vote in the primary

because, quite honestly, all of our candidates were good. Two of my three kids didn't vote, but it would take and apocalypse to keep them from voting June 5th! I think Walker's is toast. But at our house the mantra is, "if he wins, there's always prison."