Wis. Dems: We Changed The State Senate (Even If We Didn’t Get The Majority)

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On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Wisconsin Democrats claimed victory with the end of the Wisconsin recalls – in which they gained two state Senate seats, just short of the three needed to take a majority, and where their own incumbents fended off Republican challenges.

“In the wake of this historic recall season, we really see Democrats with the most momentum and most success on the board. We won an obvious majority in these elections, five of nine contests,” said Tate, referring to the two Democratic pickups, and three successful defenses by Dem incumbents.

“And this is an important point, all three recalls against Democrats failed – not a single Democrat was recalled for standing up to Scott Walker and the extreme Republican agenda. On the other hand, two Republicans from red districts were recalled for supporting Scott Walker and his agenda.”

One reporter asked Tate if the recall election season could truly be called a success, after many millions of dollars were spent, to remain in the minority. “Well look, obviously we would have loved to swing 1,200 votes in Baraboo and Ripon and had an official Democratic majority,” Tate said. “But if the goal was to change the face of the state Senate in Wisconsin, we’ve done that.”

Tate based that claim on the idea that the Senate, as it is now constituted with just a 17-16 Republican majority, would never have passed some of Walker’s major policies such as his anti-public employee union legislation, and that Walker is now starting to talk about bipartisan cooperation.

So will there be more recalls, reporters asked? Tate did not specifically commit to launching any — but said that if activists on the ground move toward petitioning to recall Walker in 2012, when he becomes eligible under the state law that officials must have served at least one year of their term, then the party will listen.

In addition, Tate was asked whether petition-gatherers seeking to recall Walker would also collect recall signatures against freshman Republicans who came in with the 2010 GOP wave — for example, new state Sen. Pam Galloway, who picked up the historically Democratic Wausau district and defeated the incumbent state Senate Majority Leader. Such a move, obviously, would make it more possible for Dems to pick up the chamber after this year’s near-miss.

“I honestly don’t know the answer to that question,” Tate said. “This is going to be dependents on the thousands of activists, many of whom have never been engaged in politics, many who may have voted for Scott Walker and Pam Galloway. If they can’t wait for the next general election, then we may have more recalls.”

For now, Tate said, he has not been in specific discussion about any such recalls.

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