Wisconsin GOP Will Run Fake Democrats to Buy Time

They will force primaries, push back recall elections until August
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 8, 2011 8:02 PM CDT
Wisconsin Republicans Will Run Fake Democrats in Recall Elections to Force Primaries, Buy Time
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signs a bill at a ceremonial event Friday, March 11, 2011, in Madison, Wis. At right is Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.   (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Wisconsin politics continue to dazzle: Republicans there are worried about losing their majority in the state Senate in a spate of recall elections set for July 12. They'd like more time to campaign, and they've hit on a bizarre way to get it, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The state GOP is recruiting Republicans to run as fake Democrats on July 12, a move that would force a primary and push the general election back to August 9. The newspaper estimates the extra elections will cost the state "tens of thousands" of dollars.

So far, the state has certified recall elections against six GOP senators and three Democrats, all the result of the collective bargaining fight in the spring, reports Talking Points Memo. (The Democrats' elections will be on July 19.) Two of the Republican incumbents facing recall are in serious trouble, notes the National Review. "That leaves only one more seat Democrats have to pick up to retake the Senate." Is the GOP worried? They say no, but the New York Times notes that lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker are pushing though a lot of legislation just in case. (More Wisconsin stories.)

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