At this point in the evening, two Democratic wins out of six in the recalls and a lot of questions about a third (coming down to the same Republican activist who was suspected of rigging the Supreme Court election last April.) Remember that these were all GOP districts.
From an AFL-CIO fact sheet:
All six of the Senators in Tuesdays races are electorally tough Republicans who were able to overcome the best Democratic party year in more than a generation and win in 2008, when now-President Barack Obama won the state 56-42 over Senator John McCain. Indeed, two of the Republicans (SD2, 14) are so entrenched that Democrats did not even field a candidate against them in 2008, despite the opportunity to run under Obamas banner, and Olsen in SD14 was unopposed in 2004 as well.
For a little more perspective, consider this: only 13 state legislators have been recalled in American history, and only three times in history have as many as two legislators been subject to recall at the same time in the same state. This Tuesday, six of the eight Wisconsin Republican legislators eligible to be recalled in 2011 faced recalls. It isn't easy to do this or people would do it all the time.
Still, losing just two Senators instead of three means the GOP keeps their majority, so they managed to hang on by their fingernails. You've got to give them credit for survival.
But Scott Walker had better watch out. The progressives in Wisconsin are now battle hardened activists with on-the-ground experience. I wouldn't get too cocky if I were him. His polls are dismal. When he's eligible for recall next year there is every likelihood they'll go for it. Feingold's waiting in the wings.
Sadly, by that time they'll probably have made it illegal for Democrats to vote, but still ...
Update: I highly recommend this post at Down With Tyranny for a complete analysis of the race and what it means.
