With no challenges to candidates, six recall primaries set for July 12 in Wisconsin
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 17, 2011
By Geoff Pallay and Greg Janetka
MADISON, Wisconsin: The deadline for challenges to candidates who declared an intent to run in the recalls has come and gone with no challenges filed. As of 4:30 p.m. CST, there were no challenges submitted, according to Michael Haas of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. With multiple candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for all 6 recall senate districts, primaries are set to take place on July 12.
Following the news that all six "fake" Democrats had turned in their final paperwork to get on the ballot, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin announced that it would not be running their placeholder candidates in the recalls as they are no longer necessary. Party Chair Mike Tate explained, "The goal of the placeholder candidacies was to create an insurance policy against further Republican attempts to exploit the recall election schedule through dirty tricks and cynical plots."[1]
With the placeholders removed, that leaves two candidates facing off in each Democratic primary. The candidates in each district are:
District 2
District 8
District 10
|
District 14
District 18
District 32
|
Candidates will now have four weeks to campaign to advance to the recall election on August 9. It is unclear how much the "protest candidates" will actively campaign or if they will sit quietly and passively allow the primary to occur.
One candidate, Isaac Weix, said, "Most of us are very well known and established Republicans. We're not doing this to try to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. We are who we are, and we're not afraid to admit it."[2]
Another candidate, James Smith said, "I don't consider myself fake because I am running on the issues. If anything, I consider myself a protest candidate. Pretty much the issue I've been most against is the recall process itself."[2] Although he has no staff and expects to raise less than $1,000, he did issue a press release on Thursday in support of the newly passed state budget.[3]
The four others have been relatively quiet about their candidacies. Gladys Huber, when asked for a comment by a reporter, said, "I really have no comment at all. I will refer you to the Republican Party of Wisconsin."[4]
Walker appoints new GAB judge
Today, a statement from Governor Scott Walker’s office announced the nomination of Timothy Vocke to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. If confirmed by the state Senate, Vocke will replace Gordon Myse. Myse’s term expired on May 1, but he has continued to serve until a successor could be appointed. It is Walker’s first appointment to the six-member board.[5]
Vocke is a Reserve Judge for the State of Wisconsin and has served as a medical malpractice mediator for the Wisconsin Supreme Court since 1986 and as a referee for the Court since 1987. Prior to that he served as a district attorney for Racine County, district attorney for Vilas County, and a Circuit Court Judge.[6]
See also
- Recall of Wisconsin State Senators (2011)
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Laws governing recall in Wisconsin
- Redistricting in Wisconsin
Footnotes
- ↑ WisPolitics, "WisDems: Dems to end placeholder candidacies in recall elections," June 17, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Slate of fakes interesting way to keep it real," June 16, 2011
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Smith Campaign: Response to Wisconsin’s budget," June 16, 2011
- ↑ White Fish Bay Patch, "Who is 'Fake Democrat' in Recall Race?" June 11, 2011
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Walker appoints judge to Government Accountability Board." June 17, 2011
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Gov. Walker: Appoints the Honorable Timothy Vocke to the Government Accountability Board," June 17, 2011
