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Capitol Notes
WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
TO: Clients/Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company, S.C.

FROM:  Capitol Consultants, Inc.
              & Wimmer Company, S.C.

DATE:  August 5, 2011

SUBJECT:   Weekly Update - Six Recall Elections Next Tuesday
 
In This Issue
Six GOP Recall Elections Next Tuesday
Two Dem Senate Recall Elections the Following Tuesday, August 16
Governor Walker Weighs In on the Recalls
The Week Ahead
 
Six GOP Senate Recall Elections Next Tuesday

After months of the Wisconsin State Capitol getting the nation's attention through partisan bickering, the passage of a budget repair bill and the state budget, protest rallies and millions of dollars spending on television ads and campaign mailings, Wisconsin voters in in six GOP State Senate Districts (see descriptions below) will have a chance to weigh in on the direction of the state next Tuesday, August 9 when the polls open at 7 a.m. for recall elections. 

 

Most Capitol followers believe the recall elections are predominantly the result of the reaction of many Wisconsin residents to the Governor's controversial provision in the budget repair bill that restricts the collective bargaining rights of most public employees union members. Consensus among Capitol observers is that several of the races are very competitive heading into the final weekend before Election Day. Currently, the Republicans control the State Senate by a 19 to 14 margin, so to take control of the Senate, Democrats would have to win three of the six elections on Tuesday and win both of the elections the following Tuesday, August 16, when two of their members face recalls.

 

For reference, a State Senate seat in Wisconsin has approximately 165,000 residents residing in it.     

 

Overview of August 9 General Recall Elections
Senate District 2 -Green Bay, Shawano areas -  held by long-time GOP Senator Rob Cowles (R-DePere). Cowles faces Democrat and former Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum.

Senate District 8 - Menomonee Falls, Shorewood, and other northern Milwaukee suburbs - held by GOP Joint Finance Chair Alberta Darling (R-River Hills). The long-time Senator  faces State Representative Sandy Pasch.

Senate District 10 - River Falls, Hudson, and Amery areas - held by GOP Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls). Harsdorf faces Democrat Shelly Moore, who is a school teacher from Ellsworth.

Senate District 14 - Portage, Waupaca, and Berlin areas - held by GOP Senator Luther Olson (R-Ripon). Olson faces State Representative Fred Clark (D-Baraboo).

Senate District 18 - Fond du Lac, Oshkosh - held by first-term Senator Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac). The first-term Hopper now takes on Oshkosh City Council Member Jess King a Democrat.

Senate District 32 - La Crosse, Vernon and Crawford counties - held by GOP Senator Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse). The second-term Senator faces State Representative Jen Shilling (D-La Crosse).   

 

To read more analysis of Tuesday's recall elections, click here. 

 
Two Democratic Senate Recall Elections on Tuesday, August 16
On Tuesday, August 16, two more Senate Recall Elections will occur. Those recalls will be against two Democratic incumbent Senators - first-term Senator Jim Holperin (D-Conover) and long-time Senator Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie). 

Overview Democratic Senate Recall Elections
Senate District 12 - Merrill, Antigo, Rhinelander and far northeastern Wisconsin - held by first-term Democratic Senator Jim Holperin who faces Republican Kim Simac in the August 16 Recall Election. Simac is the founder of the Northwoods Patriots tea party.

Many Capitol insiders predict that this race could be become very pivotal to what party will control the State Senate if Democrats are able to pick up three seats in the recall elections the week before.

One interesting trivia fact to note is that Holperin, if he wins and retains his seat, could be one of the only elected officials in the country to survive two recall elections. Holperin, who formerly served in the State Assembly, survived a recall election nearly 20 years ago.

Senate District 22 - most of Kenosha County - held by long-time Democratic Senator Bob Wirch who faces Attorney Jonathan Steitz (R-Kenosha) in the August 16 election.

Wirch has served in the State Senate since 1998 and has survived several close elections during his legislative career including one in 2004 against Reince Preibus who is now the Chair of the Republican National Committee.

To read more about the August 16 recall elections, click here.

Senate District 30 Recall Election
To remind Capitol Notes readers, Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) survived his recall election nearly three weeks ago to retain the northeast Wisconsin seat for Democrats. .

To read a recap of the Hansen victory, click  here.


 
Governor Walker Weighs In on the Recalls   
This week, Governor Scott Walker weighed in on his thoughts heading into next Tuesday's recall elections. According to Wispolitics.com, the first-term Governor said that

the recall elections are "out of our hands" at this point, and he has faith in the state's voters.

 

"I believe if given the facts they're going to make good decisions," Walker said "Sometimes they're going to be decisions that side with me, sometimes they're going to be with others, but I'm going to respect their decision."

 

Also, this week Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate weighed in on his party's electoral chances in next Tuesday's elections. Tate said that Democratic polling suggests the party is on the cusp of flipping a legislative house through multiple recalls for the first time in the country's history (www.wispolitics.com). 

 
The Week Ahead
Aug 9   Tue  Jobs, Economy and Small Business   (Assembly) (Executive Session)
11:00 AM   
328 Northwest 		Items: Senate Bill 47; Assembly Bill 70  
Aug 9   Tue  Jobs, Economy and Small Business   (Assembly)
11:01 AM   Public Hearing will begin upon conclusion of the Executive Session.
328 Northwest 		Items: Assembly Bill 211; Assembly Bill 107  
Aug 10   Wed  Administrative Rules   (Joint)
9:00 AM   
300 Northeast 		Items: Emergency Rule 1102; Emergency Rule 1103  
Aug 10   Wed  Administrative Rules   (Joint) (Executive Session)
9:05 AM   
300 Northeast 		Items: Emergency Rule 1102; Emergency Rule 1103  
Aug 10   Wed  Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs   (Assembly)
9:30 AM   
225 Northwest 		Items: Assembly Bill 181