Not sure what that portends. Does it mean that the union people are not very fired up about this? You would think that with all the bluster around the WI capital that they could at least get decent turnout even if it is a primary and not the final recall. Are they overconfident about the primary? Might be interesting.

But unfortunately the low turnout doesn’t portend victory for the right. People aren’t really motivated in ANY primary, and when the stated goal is already fulfilled in delaying and unifying the recall election date only the motivated actually make it to the polls.

I hoped for a miracle, but now I believe in reality.

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20110712/OSH0101/110712138/Democrat-Nusbaum-defeats-fake-Democrat-challenge-recall-primary-election?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

I’ve seen polling/opinion that 90% of likely voters already have their minds made up, and it’s just a matter of turnout. That being said, the union/commie/hippie crowd is a lot more motivated/piffed than the actual taxpayers.

I expect it shall be difficult to retain the state Senate.

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Nobody expected the GOP Protest candidates (not “fake” candidates, they were honest about what they were doing) to win. None of these candidates did serious campaigning or fundraising. I wonder how the results might have differed if they had, however. The best news for our side is the 54-46 margin in Sheila Harsdorf’s district. I would say this is a BAD sign for Shelly Moore. Remember that this was a democratic primary.

Let’s face it, most republicans will not go vote in a democratic primary. I would have voted for the “protest” candidate in the dem primary if I lived in one of the districts, but I do not (although I only live about 8 miles from Sheila’s district). However, I was watching closely for surprises, and really hoped that at least one of them could pull it off.

Nationally, people might not understand how “open” Wisconsin primary elections are. We have no registration by party. All voters get the same ballot. In privacy, the voter can vote in any party’s primary. So an upset here would have been possible, but still difficult.

I am very worried about keeping control of the state senate. Special elections are about turnout and we need to work to get every conservative vote possible in the upcoming elections. Don’t be alarmed, however, that we couldn’t win a democrat primary without seriously campaigning. THAT would have been the shocker.

Sure, we lost in every vote, but a Republican barely losing in a Democratic Primary is hardly a loss, its a tremendous moral victory, and does suggest a big win is coming in the general. Of course you never know, and we should continue to work as if we’re 10 points behind, but tonight’s results have to make you feel good about our chances, those are some big vote totals for a Republican to get among Democratic primary voters!