9:01 PM: Wow, initial exit polls say it’s 50/50 Walker v. Barrett. Looks like a long night … Dig deeper into the internals and it still looks really, really close. It all seems to say dead even.
9:07 PM: RNC chair and former Wisconsin GOP Chair Reince Priebus is on CNN talking about the results. He’s putting on a good show but pretty clearly he doesn’t feel like he knows what the results are going to be. Republicans and frankly most Democrats (at least outside the state) thought Walker was winning.
9:21 PM: Keep it mind: Walker massively outspent Barrett.
9:28 PM: It seems pretty clear tonight’s race in Wisconsin is going to be very right, whoever wins. If Barrett comes up short, expect a lot of second-guessing for the national Dems and particularly Obama’s hands off approach. Whether that’s fair is another matter. But little doubt that will happen.
9:39 PM: Have seen several emails like this from TPM Readers in Wisconsin …
Above all, I’d say that the one thing that stands out for me from today’s election is that folks around here aren’t hysterical or even particularly engaged…at the same time, there is a distinct “get down to business” feeling everywhere. Contrast that with the turn out reports and it doesn’t make sense. But it’s true. People aren’t freaking out, they’re getting things done.
