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| Wisconsin recall election fallout - US politics live | Wisconsin recall election fallout - US politics live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 11.02am: A lot of pundits are very wise after the event but the National Journal's Sean Sullivan called the Wisconsin recall election correctly last month in this prescient article. | |
| Sullivan argued that Walker's recall could backfire and that the political rewards outweighed the potential cost for Democrats: | |
| The right in Wisconsin is more fired up than they've been in a long time. Just take a look at who is turning out in recent elections. Republicans prevented Democrats from claiming the big prize of 2011 – control of the state Senate – and just this month, GOP primary voters gave Walker more votes in an uncompetitive primary than the combined total of his top two Democratic challengers. The left was a more visible presence, storming Madison last year, but the GOP energy has been the under-reported story. | |
| 10.34am: And here's video of Democratic candidate Tom Barrett being slapped by a supporter after his concession speech. | 10.34am: And here's video of Democratic candidate Tom Barrett being slapped by a supporter after his concession speech. |
| It all seems very tame and light-hearted. Bet that capped a fun night for Barrett. | It all seems very tame and light-hearted. Bet that capped a fun night for Barrett. |
| Apparently the woman asked if she could slap him for conceding, and he asked for a hug instead. That's the entire recall election in miniature really. | Apparently the woman asked if she could slap him for conceding, and he asked for a hug instead. That's the entire recall election in miniature really. |
| 10am: There is really only one story this morning – Republican governor Scott Walker's emphatic win in the Wisconsin recall election, sending Republicans into paroxysms of joy and Democrats into a slough of despond. | 10am: There is really only one story this morning – Republican governor Scott Walker's emphatic win in the Wisconsin recall election, sending Republicans into paroxysms of joy and Democrats into a slough of despond. |
| Walker's victory was wider than most of the recent polling or on-the-night exit polling had suggested, and his share of the vote from union-member households actually increased over his 2010 election as governor. The one sliver of good news is that the Democratic challenger in one of the four state senate recall elections may have prevailed, flipping control of the Wisconsin upper house from Republican to democratic, and imposing a small check on Walker's future legislative plans. The state senate, however, does not sit again until next year. | Walker's victory was wider than most of the recent polling or on-the-night exit polling had suggested, and his share of the vote from union-member households actually increased over his 2010 election as governor. The one sliver of good news is that the Democratic challenger in one of the four state senate recall elections may have prevailed, flipping control of the Wisconsin upper house from Republican to democratic, and imposing a small check on Walker's future legislative plans. The state senate, however, does not sit again until next year. |
| What last night in Wisconsin means for national politics is a subject of some debate, and will continue to be right up until 6 November. | What last night in Wisconsin means for national politics is a subject of some debate, and will continue to be right up until 6 November. |
| Here's a summary of the latest news from Ryan Devereaux: | Here's a summary of the latest news from Ryan Devereaux: |
| • Wisconsin governor Scott Walker survived a bitter recall battle on Tuesday, becoming the first governor to successfully stave off a recall election. Massive forces were mobilized from both sides of the political aisle but in the end Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett was soundly defeated. The election followed 16 months of agitation in Wisconsin, kicked off by Walker's attacks on collective bargaining rights for public employee which prompted sustained protest. An influx of money flooded the state in the months that followed as outside forces worked to steer the state's direction. | • Wisconsin governor Scott Walker survived a bitter recall battle on Tuesday, becoming the first governor to successfully stave off a recall election. Massive forces were mobilized from both sides of the political aisle but in the end Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett was soundly defeated. The election followed 16 months of agitation in Wisconsin, kicked off by Walker's attacks on collective bargaining rights for public employee which prompted sustained protest. An influx of money flooded the state in the months that followed as outside forces worked to steer the state's direction. |
| • Walker's victory could have consequences outside Wisconsin, with some speculating the win will provide Mitt Romney's campaign with welcomed momentum. In a statement released Tuesday night, Romney said Walker's victory "echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin" and said the governor stood up to "runaway government costs imposed by labour bosses". | • Walker's victory could have consequences outside Wisconsin, with some speculating the win will provide Mitt Romney's campaign with welcomed momentum. In a statement released Tuesday night, Romney said Walker's victory "echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin" and said the governor stood up to "runaway government costs imposed by labour bosses". |
| • President Obama, meanwhile, is heading to Los Angeles tonight where he will be attending a gay rights gala. Fresh off declaring his support for same-sex marriage, Obama is expected to be very well-received at the event, which will run attendees anywhere from $1,250 to $40,000 to take part in. The president will earlier make a stop in San Francisco at two fundraisers, one a discussion that cost 25 supporters $35,800 each and the other a luncheon that 250 people paid $5,000 each to attend. | • President Obama, meanwhile, is heading to Los Angeles tonight where he will be attending a gay rights gala. Fresh off declaring his support for same-sex marriage, Obama is expected to be very well-received at the event, which will run attendees anywhere from $1,250 to $40,000 to take part in. The president will earlier make a stop in San Francisco at two fundraisers, one a discussion that cost 25 supporters $35,800 each and the other a luncheon that 250 people paid $5,000 each to attend. |
| • The US Senate plans to investigate leaks by the Obama administration to the media following a recent New York Times story detailing his expansive targeted killing program, which was made possible by interviews with three dozen well-connected sources, and his use of cyberweapons against Iran. | • The US Senate plans to investigate leaks by the Obama administration to the media following a recent New York Times story detailing his expansive targeted killing program, which was made possible by interviews with three dozen well-connected sources, and his use of cyberweapons against Iran. |