2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumEMILY's List says defeating Scott Walker a top priority
Defeating Republican Gov. Scott Walker and electing Democrat Mary Burke will be a top priority for the pro-abortion rights group EMILYs List, its spokeswoman Marcy Stech said Tuesday.
Stech would not say how much the well-funded Washington-based group, which backs female candidates who support abortion rights, plans to spend on the race. EMILYs List and its partners were major players in Wisconsins 2012 Senate race, spending nearly $5 million to help elect Tammy Baldwin over Republican Tommy Thompson.
Outside spending in this years governors race is expected to be significant, especially given Walkers rising national prominence and possible 2016 presidential run. Walker, who was in New York City on Tuesday for a Republican National Committee fundraiser, has also proven himself capable of luring huge donations and support nationwide.
Total spending in Walkers first run for governor broke $36 million, the highest ever for a governors race. That record was shattered in 2012 when Walker was forced to stand for a recall election following passage of a law effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers. Spending during the recall hit $81 million. Normal campaign finance limits did not apply during much of that race due to rules governing recall elections.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks spending on elections in the state, has estimated this years governors race between Burke and Walker could top $40 million.
http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/emily-s-list-says-defeating-scott-walker-a-top-priority/article_4af964b2-5f85-539e-a94a-ed97c73d6927.html
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)a kennedy
(29,615 posts)yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I hope voters turn out this time. I wish he was up in 2016 because I know he would be gone for sure. 2014 is going to take a lot of Democrats turning out. Will they? I wish I was confident.
Cal33
(7,018 posts)a large scale during that election? Can the Dems. be blamed for "blowing" it?
Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)There are a lot of people in Wisconsin who are fundamentally opposed to the recall process, absent any criminal behavior on the part of the elected official. Many of those people, even if they didn't like Walker, didn't vote in the recall. In a tight race, 2-3 percentage points was all it took.
Mary Burke has the advantage of two more totally dismal years of weak jobs growth in the state, and even affluent suburbs like mine have had their school funding cut. She's got a real chance at this.