National attention grows on Wisconsin recall races
This article covering 2011 recall elections was written outside the scope of Ballotpedia's encyclopedic coverage and does not fall under our neutrality policy or style guidelines. It is preserved as it was originally written.
June 8, 2011
By Geoff Pallay and Greg Janetka
MADISON, Wisconsin: With the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board verifying signatures in the final recall campaigns yesterday, it is now possible to determine which campaigns had the most signatures approved, and which had the most rejected.
All of the following figures come directly from the GAB. Note that the number of recall signatures submitted is an estimate by the Board, which explains why, in two cases, the percentage of signatures validated is greater than 100.
| 2011 Wisconsin Recall Campaigns | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | State senator | Winning % in 2008 | Recall papers filed | Recall signatures required | Recall signatures submitted | Recall signatures validated | Percentage of signatures validated | Opponent |
| Jim Holperin | 51.2% | February 19 | 15,960 | 23,300[1] | 19,255[2] | 82.63% | Kim Simac and Robert Lussow[3] | |
| Robert Wirch | 66.7% | February 24 | 13,537 | 18,300[4] | 17,138[2] | 93.65% | Fred Ekornaas and Jonathan Steitz[5] | |
| Dave Hansen | 66.1% | February 25 | 13,852 | 18,872[6] | 15,540[2] | 82.34% | Assemblyman John Nygren and David VanderLeest[7] | |
| Robert Cowles | Unopposed | March 2 | 15,960 | 26,000[8] | 23,959[9] | 92.15% | Nancy Nusbaum and Otto Junkermann[10] | |
| Alberta Darling | 50.5% | March 2 | 20,343 | 30,000[11] | 22,243[9] | 74.14% | Assemblywoman Sandy Pasch | |
| Sheila Harsdorf | 56.4% | March 2 | 18,816 | 23,000[12] | 23,685[9] | 102.97% | Shelly Moore and Isaac Weix[13] | |
| Luther Olsen | Unopposed | March 2 | 14,733 | 24,000[14] | 22,207[9] | 92.52% | Assemblyman Fred Clark and Rol Church[15] | |
| Randy Hopper | 50.05% | March 2 | 15,269 | 22,500[16] | 22,953[9] | 102.01% | Jessica King and John Buckstaff[17] | |
| Dan Kapanke | 51.4% | March 2 | 15,588 | 30,000[18] | 21,776[9] | 72.58% | Assebmlywoman Jennifer Shilling and James Smith[19] | |
According to the GAB’s numbers, the largest percent of signatures approved were in the petitions against Republicans Sheila Harsdorf and Randy Hopper, while the lowest were the petitions against Republicans Dan Kapanke and Alberta Darling.
Meanwhile, national groups continue to be involved in the recall attempts of incumbents from both parties. A recent ‘’Politico report mentioned that President Barack Obama’s aides would be involved in the recall in Wisconsin.[20] Meanwhile, a top national Republican official -- who prior to his post was based in Wisconsin -- has also been linked to the GOP strategy to run fake candidates. Mark Jefferson, former head of the Wisconsin Republican Party, was allegedly recorded discussing running fake candidates during a meeting before he left the state to become midwest regional director of the Republican National Committee.[21] As we reported last week, millions of dollars will likely flow into Wisconsin from groups based outside of the state. Progressives United, the political action committee of former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin Russ Feingold, has raised over $130,000 since June 2 in support of the Republican recall campaigns.[22]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Jim Holperin Recall Committee," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 WisPolitics, "Dem recalls certified," June 8, 2011
- ↑ If Simac and Lussow remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Taxpayers to Recall Robert Wirch," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If Ekornaas and Steitz remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Recall Dave Hansen," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If Nygren and VanderLeest remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Cowles," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Chart detailing recall signatures, accessed May 23, 2011
- ↑ If Nusbaum and Junkermann remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Darling," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Harsdorf," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If Moore and Weix remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Olsen," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If Clark and Church remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Hopper," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If King and Buckstaff remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Committee to Recall Kapanke," accessed June 9, 2011
- ↑ If Shilling and Smith remain in the race, they will ultimately face each other in a primary four weeks prior to the actual recall
- ↑ Politico “President Obama's campaign expands its 2012 map,” June 8, 2011
- ↑ Washington Post “Top Republican National Committee official involved in Wisconsin GOP shenanigans,” June 9, 2011
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Russ Feingold Raises More Than $130,000 For Wisconsin Democratic Recall Candidates," June 8, 2011
