Wisconsin voters are heading to the polls today in recall primaries for the chance to vote out Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who has attacked workers' rights, women's rights and voting rights.
The state is also holding recall primaries today for lieutenant governor and four state Senate seats.
United Wisconsin, the coalition behind organizing the recall, said in a statement: "It is clear that the people of Wisconsin are engaged like never before, and are ready to hold Scott Walker accountable for his failed policies and divisive and ideological leadership."
John Nichols writes in The Nation today: "Never before has a single state had citizen-initiated elections on the same day that could shift control of the executive branch and the dominant chamber in the state legislature."
If Gov. Walker is recalled, it would mark only the third gubernatorial recall in U.S. history.
The general election is June 5.
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John Nichols writing in The Nation
Wisconsin Recall Primaries: What to Watch for Today
The Wisconsin uprising against Governor Scott Walker's assaults on union rights, public education and public services spawned a recall movement that has forced Walker and his political allies to face new elections. And the first of these takes place today, with Democratic and Republican primaries for governor, lieutenant governor and four state Senate seats. [...]
Wisconsinites can vote in either party primary in each race.
The Democratic gubernatorial primary could see some significant Republican crossover voting for either for the "fake Democrat" candidate -- a Republican running on the Democratic side with the encouragement of the Republican Party of Wisconsin -- or for one of the real Democrats who is thought to be weaker.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett leads in the pre-primary polls and leads Walker in at least some polling anticipating the June 5 vote. So he would not be the beneficiary of crossover voting.
If someone other than Barrett wins collar counties surrounding Milwaukee -- probably former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk -- that could be an indication that there has been a significant Republican crossover. (All the Democratic primary candidates are progressives. Barrett has a lot of endorsements from elected officials, the Teamsters and the union representing police officers. Falk's got many of the other unions and environmental groups. Two other candidates, Secretary of State Doug La Follette and state Senator Kathleen Vinehout, have both drawn credible grassroots backing.)
Watch, as well, for Republican crossovers in the four state Senate primaries. There are "fake Democrats" running in all four primaries. If one of the "fake Democrats" runs high numbers, that will be a sign of weakness for the real Democrat.