National Democratic money is flowing into the Wisconsin state Senate recalls, with a new $100,000 ad buy from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy For America, in just a single targeted race.
Republicans currently control the chamber by a majority of 19-14. Democrats hope to gain a net three seats and win a majority in a backlash against GOP Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-public employee union legislation. In other words, control of the chamber is up for grabs.
The ad features a local family in the central Wisconsin district of GOP Sen. Luther Olsen, who is facing Democratic state Rep. Fred Clark in an August 9 recall election, complaining of budget cuts that will result in the closure of the elementary school where their children have gone — and where Olsen’s children previously went to school.
“I’m standing here in front of Poy Sippi Elementary School where Luther Olsen’s kids went to school,” local resident Jay Jones says in the ad. “All of my kids have gone here. Two of them still do. But next year because of budget cuts Luther Olsen voted for, my kids are not going to get the opportunity to go to this little school.”
He later adds: “Republicans have found a way to find multimillion dollar tax cuts for rich corporations, but they can’t find a way to keep my kids’ school open.”
