UNDATED (WSAU) The last of nine Wisconsin Senate recall elections will be held tomorrow. And while Democrats can no longer gain control of the chamber, Minority Leader Mark Miller says it’s still vital that his party’s two incumbents win their contests. Miller says it would give Democrats a much better chance to negotiate upcoming proposals in the Senate, because the G-O-P’s majority could be cut from five members to as little as one at 17-to-16.
In northern Wisconsin, long-time legislator Jim Holperin of Conover is challenged by local Tea Party founder Kim Simac of Eagle River. In the Kenosha area, Democrat Bob Wirch – who has served at the Capitol for almost two decades – will face attorney Jonathan Steitz.
Two Republicans were recalled last week, but Democrats needed to unseat three G-O-P senators to regain the majority it lost last November. Holperin – who survived a recall attempt in 1990 when he was in the Assembly – expects a close race tomorrow. The recall effort 21 years ago was triggered by Holperin’s support for spear-fishing by Chippewa Indians away from their reservations, as ordered by a federal judge. This time, Holperin and Wirch are targeted for staying away from the Capitol for three weeks in a failed effort to block the bill that limits collective bargaining by most public unions.
