Tea-Publican Tyranny in Wisconsin: Final two recall elections today

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Just so long as Democrats don't become complacent with their two victories and fail to turn out to vote in the numbers they did last week, this should be an easy win for the two Democratic state senators in the final two recall elections today.

Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos, which has been remarkably accurate, has the two Democrats up by double digits in the last poll. Daily Kos: Wisconsin recall preview: Final two races are tonight:

In SD-12, Democratic state Sen. Jim Holperin faces tea party activist Kim Simac. Holperin sits in the reddest district currently held by a Dem and was therefore always assumed to be the most vulnerable of the three Democratic senators who were up for recall. But a poll taken by PPP for Daily Kos over the weekend showed Holperin leading Simac by a surprising 55-41 margin, and the internals suggested Simac has struggled in broadening her appeal outside the conservative base. Other polling has shown a closer race, though, and this one is by no means in the bag.

Meanwhile, in SD-22, Democratic state Sen. Bob Wirch is trying to hold off attorney Jonathan Steitz. PPP showed Wirch up by a similar margin as Holperin (55-42), though he's benefitting from his district's more favorable composition; Steitz actually has a narrow lead among independents. While commentators generally have not thought of Wirch as being especially vulnerable, no other public polling has been released on this race, so again, we should remain cautious.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: The Wisconsin State Journal reports Two Democrats hold off recall challenges:

Democratic Sen. Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie defeated Kenosha attorney Jonathan Steitz, and Sen. Jim Holperin of Conover beat tea party Republican Kim Simac of Eagle River.

A third Democrat won a recall election last month. Two Republicans were defeated in six recall elections last week.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said Democrats have "fundamentally changed the face of power in the Wisconsin Legislature" through the recalls. Even though Republicans remain in the majority, Tate said Democrats' picking up two seats and making gains in Republican districts sets the table for big wins next year.

"It's really hard to go five for nine and not be pleased of the progress that we made," he said.