Wisconsin Democrats Hope to Hold Ground in 2 Recalls

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Fox News:

MADISON, WIS. – Wisconsin Democrats sought Tuesday to hold the ground they gained in last week's recall elections by fending off Republican attempts to oust two senators who fled the state in opposition to Gov. Scott Walker's proposal curbing public employee collective bargaining rights.

Democrats needed to win at least three of six recalls last week targeting Republicans, but they only captured two. That means the best they can manage from Tuesday's elections is to keep the ground they gained, which left the Senate in Republican control by a narrow 17-16 margin.


A third Democrat, Dave Hansen of Green Bay, survived a recall election last month.

A pair of Republican wins Tuesday would leave the Senate in the same partisan split as it was before the recalls.

On the ballot were Sens. Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie and Jim Holperin of Conover. Holperin is the first state-level elected official in U.S. history to have faced two recall attempts. He survived one in 1990 as a member of the state Assembly after he was targeted for supporting tribal spearfishing rights.

In that race, Holperin spent $56,000. So far this time he's spent at least $319,000 and combined with spending from outside groups and his tea party Republican opponent Kim Simac, total spending is estimated to be at least $4.5 million.

The high spending in that race shows that both sides see it as competitive, especially compared to the Wirch race where about half has much has been spent, as estimated by the watchdog group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.