Gov. Walker's Top Secret Campaign Headquarters And Other Wisconsin Primary Recall Election Shenanigans
By Samantha Abernethy in News on May 7, 2012 9:00PM
There is nothing normal about tomorrow's election in Wisconsin. It's the primary for the recall election next month, and a year of protests and unrest in Wisconsin will be sorted out on June 5. Republican Gov. Scott Walker has gotten the bulk of attention. Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is also on the chopping block, as well as state legislators Scott Fitzgerald, Van Wanggaard, Terry Moulton and Jerry Petrowski, all Republicans.
The most important thing to come out of tomorrow's election should be the decision of which Democrat will go against the incumbent legislator. But once again, nothing is normal about this election.
Experts predict turnout will be higher than usual, and on the eve of the election few voters are undecided because they already made their mind up about Gov. Scott Walker months ago. They love him or hate him. There's nothing in between. Despite millions of dollars worth of television ads, Walker's approval rating has barely moved, from 51 percent in January to 47 percent in April.
A Milwaukee columnist wrote that “public opinion about Walker is almost freakishly fixed in place.”
He’s operating on a knife’s edge. Virtually half the electorate is with him and virtually half is against him, and the difference between emerging from this crucible an ascendant national figure or a symbol of overreach and rejection could be a percentage point or two. Even Walker describes it as a 50-50 election.
Plus, Wisconsin voters can cross the aisle on their ballot. Instead of choosing a party ballot, voters may choose amongst all candidates of each party. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "That means they could choose Scott Walker in the Republican primary for governor and then pick a Democrat in the race for lieutenant governor."
As if that weren't complicated enough, the Republicans have also put some "fake" Democrats on the ballot to throw off voters. Democrats tried to take them to court, but a judge ruled last month that the Faux-mocrats could remain on the ballot.
There's one last weird thing we want to tell you about this election: Walker's campaign headquarters is a secret, and they've gone to strange lengths to keep it that way. One strategist said, "based on some of the ridiculousness of the absurd protesters, it makes sense not to let those people know where they're at so they don't go over there and dump beer on their heads or any of the other stupid things those idiots do."
While yes, there are protesters all over the state and tensions are high, all of the other candidates have made their whereabouts known. Walker's legal defense fund has a street address, so MJS tried there.
Is that where his super secret campaign office is also?"No," responded Walker campaign spokeswoman Ciara Matthews.
Are we getting warm?
"Not even close," Matthews answered.
The recall elections are on June 5. If voters push Walker out of office, he'd be the third governor ever ousted in the U.S.