Look what reached by inbox from Wisconsin.
It was obvious that feelings were running hot in the recall election in which Republican Governor Scott Walker soundly defeated Tom Barrett.
Want to know how high?
Take a look at the sign vandalism below:
A "Stand with Walker" sign has been split in half. Next to the defaced sign is another saying, "Democrat Freedom of Speech."
As I was driving to a sleep apnea study in Algonquin last night shortly after the polls closed in Wisconsin, I heard that exist polls had Scott Walker and Tom Barrett tied.
Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal noticed and predicted the election would not be called until late in the night, as did the station I was listening to.
I discovered that Seattle PI reported last night,
“A CNN exit poll had Walker and Barrett tied at 50 percent apiece.”
But when I got to the Centegra facility in Algonquin, Fox News was predicting Scott Walker to have won.
Surprised, I switched to CNN.
Same prediction there.
I concluded that the exit polls must have been wrong…by a lot.
Tonight I tried to find that “Walker and Barrett are tied” statistic, but could not.
I did find this breakdown of exit polling that has a CNN heading:
CNN Exit Poll does not contain the head-to-head results which were reported on radio to be too close to call.
Notice the information about the tie race can’t be found.
Those offering hope to President Obama do not refer to the head-to-head results.
My question is why this finding:
“Results gave President Obama a 54-42 percent lead over Republican nominee-in-waiting Willard “Mitt” Romney.”
is more significant than the demonstrably false apparent and unposted CNN exit poll 50-50 finding in the Walker-Barrett contest?
Mary Alger, who designed this GOP Tea Party logo, was at the McHenry County Republican Central Committee meeting last Saturday in support of Tonya Franklin's candidacy.
There must be a dam at the Illinois-Wisconsin border.
The water from Wisconsin’s boiling tea kettle didn’t spill over the state border last Saturday when the McHenry County Republican Party decided no candidate against Jack Franks was better than Tea Party activist Tonya Franklin.
I can’t help but note what Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady had to say about Wisconsin Scott Walker’s victory–the only Governor in U.S. history to survive a recall election:
“I enjoyed seeing all of the energy from Illinois Republicans over the past few weeks for Scott Walker and I know that energy will carry over to the Illinois Republican State Convention this weekend and to our elections this fall.
“I look forward to personally congratulating (Republican National Committee Chairman) Reince Priebus on Friday in Tinley Park for all his work in ensuring victory tonight.”
The abdication of the 63rd District seat to 7-time Mike Madigan supporter “Chainsaw Jack” Franks was three days before our state party leader’s praised that same energy.
Some may find some irony in the flat out rejection of the offer to take on a McHenry County GOP Establishment-predicted suicide run from a woman who had the energy to campaign in Wisconsin.
Not to mention for a month volunteering in Florida four years ago helping John McCain try to win the state on her own dime.
Ironically, McHenry County GOP Chairman seems more interested in not losing McHenry County to Barack Obama in 2012 as he did in 2008, than having a chance to beat Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks. (From email discouraging Precinct Committeemen from attending the Special Meeting Saturday at which a crucial step could have been taken that could have led to a Republican opponent to Jack Franks being on the ballot: “We are committed to help elect our Congressmen, our State Senators and Representatives, our County Board candidates and most of all, electing a Republican President.“ Emphasis added.)
On the CNN fall election may last night while the analyst was debating on whether to change the color in Wisconsin from solid blue to pale blue, I noticed Illinois was the brightest of blues.
National commentators don’t share Tryon’s belief that Mitt Romney can carry Illinois this fall.
Carrying McHenry County will, at best, give bragging rights to local Republicans, while beating Jack Franks could make a difference in who controls the Illinois House.
A slim possibility, I will admit, but still a possibility, given what happened north of us.
Above the state line, Tea Party activists–even from Illinois–have been embraced by Republican leadership, including the Chairman of the National Republican Party Reince Priebus: “Thank God for the Tea Party.”
“We’re not in competition with the Conservative Movement. We’re just part of it,” Priebus said in an interview on Breitbart. “We need to have a party about addition and multiplication, not division and subtraction.”
Priebus, a Wisconsin resident, said,
Tea or Kool-Aid in the 63rd. Which did you prefer?
“Courage is on the ballot in Wisconsin.
“We need more people to run for office and govern like they campaigned.”
Can’t help but wonder how he would react to the McHenry County Republican Party’s defeatist attitude.
And, arguably, the Party Leadership’s policy of, how did the National Chairman put it?
A perspective from the Left (“The Political Environment, Progressive reporting from Wisconsin and the region. Scott Walker Recall Updated Frequently.”) on the Wisconsin election points out:
“But Walker got to spend and benefit from $35-$50 million, and an advantage over Barrett by something like 7:1 this time, so where’s Walker’s growth? Yes, he won, but not in a landslide.”
We Ask America had the race at 54-44-4, the 4 being undecided, but warned that differential turnout was what the contest was all about.
Wisconsin election results, almost final, from Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
I was listening to Milwaukee’s WTMJ coming home from a sleep apnea study this morning at Centegra’s Algonquin outpost and heard that no poll had predicted a Walker victory.
I guess, as with the mainstream media’s missing We Ask American’s poll on the Joe Walsh-Melissa Bean 2010 election, the commentator just didn’t look closely enough at this Illinois emerging source of information.
A McCormick Foundation analyst was interviewed.
Commenting on the effect the victory would have nationally, he said, “The political dynamic is certainly different.”
"You can't win the race, if you're not in the pool," as the swim coaches say. The McHenry County Republicans have forfeited the 63rd State Rep. contest.
But, as the swim coaches say,
And, no one in the McHenry County Republican Party leadership will be wearing this sweatshirt at this weekend’s GOP State Convention in Tinley Park:
"Whatever it takes" may be the motto of one swim team, but it doesn't fit the McHenry County Republican Party.
Scott Walker after a long day recruiting businesses in Chicago.
Here’s the press release from the only polling firm to get the Joe Walsh-Melissa Bean race right:
Our final poll in the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election comes after an impressive debate performance by Democrat Tom Barrett — who may have saved his best for last.
The highlight for many viewers was when Barrett took beleaguered Republican Gov. Scott Walker to the woodshed for airing a very tough ad that displays an image of a severely beaten child who later died of his injuries, suggesting that as Milwaukee mayor, Barrett’s police department “didn’t consider it a crime.”
In reality, the person who beat the child was arrested but escaped prosecution through a bureaucratic blunder not of Barrett’s doing.
Barrett’s outrage was punctuated with this zinger: “I have a police department that arrests felons. He [Walker] has a practice of hiring them.”
That line, of course, refers to the ongoing “John Doe” investigation that has resulted in the arrest of a number of Walker’s former aides for their alleged role in embezzling funds raised to help veterans and their families. (You can read the details of that investigation here.)
So, as fireworks continue to explode over the political horizon in the Dairy State, we asked 1,570 likely voters who they support in the June 5 election. Here are the results.
Those surprising results would project at a 56-44 final win for Walker.
HOWEVER, while Walker continues to lead Barrett, we once again caution readers that this is an extremely difficult election to predict.
Turnout is king in all elections, and it may be even more important in this one. Wisconsin’s labor movement is keen to get as many of the anti-Walker voters to the polls as possible and have displayed the ability to rally their troops effectively.
And Wisconsin regulations allow Election Day voter registration with a minimum of residency documentation–something that has both sides whispering of potential abuse from their opponents.
Too many polls have been conducted showing Walker in the lead (even Barrett’s own poll shows him trailing) to disbelieve the sentiments displayed in the results.
But Walker’s continuing problem with the John Doe investigation and a bit of swagger among his supporters could–possibly–keep some of them home.
Then again, Barrett’s aggression that he displayed in the final debate may have come too late.
At any rate, it may be appropriate to say that there could be no winner in this election–only a survivor.
Remember the “Recall Santa” yard sign a friend of McHenry County Blog found in the Milwaukee area.
Now someone has turned it into a tee shirt and trade marked the phrase.
"Recall Santa - I didn't get hat I wanted!" is one message of the anti-recall supporters of Scott Walker.
It is amusing.
Consider this statement:
“We were all lied to regarding this so called ‘naughty list’ and so many of us were then deprived of what we wanted.
“Is it too much to ask for everyone to get equal present rights!
“Santa Must Go!!!!!!
A week from now Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will learn whether he has been recalled from office or not.
National Democrats are downplaying the importance of the vote now that the polls are pointing to victory for Walker.
Today is the big day in neighboring Wisconsin.
It’s the labor unions’ Recall election day.
My niece found this satirical sign near her son’s day care center in Milwaukee:
The sign says, "Recall Santa. I didn't get what I wanted!"
For those who wish to help get out the vote for Governor Scott Walker, there are lists that could be provided so you could make phone calls from home.
You can sign up at myscottspot.org.
"Reclaim Wisconsin, Recall Walker," urges this yard sign.
Recall elections are coming up Tuesday in Wisconsin for Governor Scott Walker, his Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Republican State Senator Van Wanggaard, who represents Racine County and the deciding vote in the State Senate.
These two yard signs appear to be lit at night. They say, "Stand with Walker."
Republicans, of course, are trying to keep Wanggaard in office so the Democrats don’t take control of that body in Madison.
United Wisconsin has a sign saying, "Recall Walker."
Danielle Rowe is recruiting people to go to Racine to help encourage Republicans to vote between now and when the polls close on Saturday.
This sign says. "Walker for Sportsmen."
And, if you don’t have time to go in person, there are lists that could be provided so you could make phone calls from home.
You can make phone calls from home now through the primary election by signing up at myscottspot.org.
Milwaukee seeks to be the Democratic Party's candidate to oppose Republican Scott Walker. He is Milwaukee's Mayor.
Scott Walker spoke to those who took the Family PAC Cruise last summer.
An email from former State Rep. candidate Danielle Rowe:
You do not need to wait until November to make an impact in an election that is critically important to the direction of our country.
What happens in the Wisconsin recall primary this Tuesday, May 8 and the recall election on June 5 will affect every state in the nation, including Illinois.
Rep. Paul Ryan has called this recall election the second most important election in the country in 2012, and he’s right.
I am honored to have been named the Illinois Tea Party Wisconsin Recall Election Coordinator.
The Illinois Tea Party fully supports Governor Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and their brave reforms that have helped move Wisconsin in the right direction.
They grew Wisconsin’s economy, created tens of thousands of private sector jobs, lowered unemployment to 6.8%, fully funded their state pensions and balanced their budget WITHOUT raising taxes.
WI Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch speaks at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party
I introduced Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch at the 2012 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party.
At that rally, Kleefisch told us,
“This recall election in Wisconsin is about big union power. It is about these big union bosses maintaining government control–of a government that may want to control you.
“We are a harbinger, a canary in the coal mine. And we are sounding the alarm–that if the big unions can wrestle control back from We the People–then if it could happen in Wisconsin it could happen anywhere. So we could go backward–but we choose forward,”
“Forward” is the state motto of Wisconsin.
Unlike President Obama, who is using Forward as his campaign slogan, Walker and Kleefisch have moved Wisconsin’s economy forward, cut spending and balanced their budget.
Can we count on you?
Danielle Rowe
Whether you want to go to Wisconsin or help from your own home, there are many ways you can help support Scott Walker during this critical recall election:
Calls to vote in the primary are critical for Scott Walker.
He has a progressive Republican opponent named Arthur Kohl-Riggs. Arthur was a protestor in Madison against the Pension Reform Bill. He calls himself a “Progressive Republican”.
WI has an Open Primary.
The concern is that the Democrats will cross over to vote for Arthur in the Primary which would throw Gov. Walker out of office.
The goal is to make Walker supporters aware that they MUST vote in this Primary to stop the Democrats attempt to cross over and vote for his opponent.
Can you help?
If you can help, please call me at 847-773-7693 or email me at rowe@danielleforil.com
You can view and download a .pdf of our Illinois Tea Party call to action here:
Illinois Tea Party Call to Action: Wisconsin Recall
We need your help for the final push! Together we can re-elect Scott Walker!
Eric Zorn's Sunday piece on the worthlessness of the Illinois Recal provision,
Make no mistake, the hopelessly compromised Recall Amendment sponsored by Demcoratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks lost meaning when he ignored local officials, took out judges, removed state legislators, then, excised all statewide elected officials but the Governor and, finally, required that at least five state senators and ten state representatives from each party agree to such a vote.
That’s not to mention getting 15% of the total votes cast in the previous election, not to mention 100 from each county.
A “fraud” on the electoral, just to be kind.
This past Sunday Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn, wrote a piece entitled, “Why ‘Mr. Recall’ is safe from recall.”
The column was about Governor Pat Quinn.
Appropriate for as far as it went.
But no “credit” was given to the amendment’s sponsor, Jack Franks.
Earlier this weekend, I ran an article about how McHenry County Democrats had been encouraged to go to Wisconsin to work on the Recall Scott Walker effort.
Looking at the crowd in Wauwatosa Saturday. The sign you attempts to frame the recall campaign. It crosses out "Union Privileges" and touts"Taxpayer Rights."
Saturday Lori Lee White and her husband went to a Wisconsin rally for the retention of Governor Scott Walker in office. They live in the border town of Spring Grove in the most northeastern township in McHenry County and have a business in Wisconsin.
A man wearing the cheese head hat that a Wisconsin company produced in reaction to Illinos residents' mocking reference to our neighbors to the north has a bumper sticker that says, "Stand with Walker."
When I learned where they had gone form a Friend of McHenry County Blog, I asked if she would convey some a message that I would appreciate some photos of the event.
A view of the crowd in Wawautosa.
White, who is running for Republican Precinct Committeeman in Burton Township’s 3rd precinct (the only one running in any of the three precincts), did better than send photos. She wrote why they traveled above the state line to support Governor Walker in Wauwatosa.
Another view of the crowd supporting Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
An Associated Press said “hundreds rally.” Fox News in Green Bay, also citing the AP, reported “over thousand.”
Take a look at the photo in the Milwaukee Journal (whose cut line says “a couple thousand”) or the ones White took and judge for yourself.
Below is what White wrote:
Lori Lee White
The reason my husband and I attended the rally for Governor Walker, is that we are business owners in Wisconsin.
We see the positive changes Governor Walker has made in only one year of being Governor. In just one election, Wisconsin turned over a majority of elected seats to Republicans.
I am intrigued as to how a state can turn over and win majority, a majority the state hasn’t held in 50 years.
The positive changes Governor Walker has done in one year,
- balanced their state budget,
- Wisconsin property owners have a permanent property tax freeze,
- they have voter ID law,
- conceal carry (2nd amendment), and
- Governor Walker just passed the “Castle Doctrine”.
Not only did Wisconsin balance their budget, they turned a deficit into a surplus.
In just one year.
What is not to celebrate if you are from Wisconsin?
The unions and the Democrats are not happy that the balanced budget gave the union employees choices.
Freedoms as to whether or not they want to even be part of a union.
Freedoms and choices in their healthcare providers.
The sign you can read relates to teacher health insurance premiums and pension payments. "We don't think having to pay for 12% of your own health care and 5% of your own pension is too much to ask." On the left hand side, it says, "Scott Walker, The Taxpayers HERO! We pay for our own health care. Why should we have to pay for 100% of yours?"
The unions are fighting to keep their money flow from the taxpayers.
That is why they are recalling Governor Walker.
Governor Walker is standing up for the taxpayers and our grandchildren’s generation.
The canine did not boast a "Dogs for Walker" sign. This was about when the crowd peaked.
The rally was a thank you to Governor Walker for doing what is right and protecting the taxpayers.
That was the theme of the speeches that we heard, from
- Rebecca Kleefisch-(Lt.Governor),
- Tommy Thompson-(WI Senate Candidate & previous Gov.),
- Tonette Walker (Governor Walker’s wife),
- Jeff Fitzgerald(Wi Assembly Speaker),
- several young Republicans,
- a 16 yr old varsity football player, and
- a Marquette University young Repbublican leader.
So, many more were lined up to speak. To thank Governor Walker!!!!
Many of the speeches compared the unions and the Democrats to Illinois.
They compare themselves to what Illinois is like.
Wisconsin just got a credit upgrade, Illinois is downgraded. I
Illinois raised their taxes and still can’t balance a budget, Wisconsin balances their budget and turns a deficit into a surplus.
We, Illinois residents, are a laughing stock to Wisconsinites.
They are doing the right thing, they are supporting their Governor who works for them, gives the Wisconsin residents a voice.
We in Illinois do not have a voice.
Our representatives don’t work for us, they don’t listen to us.
They should have been at the rally to see how to get their job done.
It was an awesome, AWESOME, inspiring day!!!!!
Those who wish to assist Governor Walker could do so now, by volunteering for the recall signature verification project.
= = = = =
Another Friend of McHenry County Blog took photos at last February’s rally and counter rally around the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. That was the time period when the Wisconsin Demcoratic Party Senators were hiding in Harvard and Woodstock.
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