7/13/11 – Six Democrats won their state Senate recall primaries yesterday, and none lost to the so-called “fake Democrats.” Ellsworth teacher Shelly Moore was the closest real Democrat to avoid elimination. She survived with 54-percent of the vote over former G-O-P Assembly candidate Isaac Weix. Moore won the right to challenge Senate Republican Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls in the August ninth general election. The G-O-P put up the fake Democrats to give the Republican senators who were targeted for recalls an extra month to campaign. The other five real Democrats each won with at least two-thirds of the vote. Three are currently in the Assembly, and are looking to get promoted to the upper house without having to give up their current posts if they lose. Baraboo Representative Fred Clark will face G-O-P incumbent Luther Olsen of Ripon. La Crosse Democrat Jennifer Shilling will try to get Republican Dan Kapanke of La Crosse recalled. And Whitefish Bay Representative Sandy Pasch faces Senate Finance Chair Alberta Darling of River Hills. Also, former Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum won a primary, and will try to unseat Green Bay Senate Republican Rob Cowles. And Democrat Jessica King won the right to try and unseat Fond du Lac G-O-P Senator Randy Hopper. The incumbents were all targeted because of their votes in favor of the new limits on public union bargaining. The next recall votes will be next Tuesday, when Republicans will be chosen to go up against Democratic senators Jim Holperin and Bob Wirch. And Green Bay Republican David VanderLeest will try next week to unseat Senate Democrat Dave Hansen. The Democrats are targeted for being away from Madison for three weeks in a failed attempt to block the union law.
