So Scott Walker wins the Wisconsin recall with an
eight-point margin. What is the takeaway from that? I have heard
some surprising spin spun in the 24 hours since Walker claimed victory saying,
"Tomorrow we are one as Wisconsinites." I have heard that it's the
Democrats' own fault for mounting a distracting primary. I have heard
that it's the Democrats own fault because obscene spending differentials don't
matter.
I have heard more plausible explanations such as that independents began to
show signs of recall backlash late in the campaign, feeling recalls should be
reserved for criminal malfeasance. Certainly, it was a combination of
factors, but I look to two primary factors. First, Obscene spending differentials
do matter. Walker outspent Tom Barrett by a factor of seven or eight to
one. Walker's war chest was $31 million and this amount was magnified by
the outside groups funded by the like of the Koch Brothers who spent big on his
behalf. The total spent on the campaign was $63 million and it was all
Walker all the way. "
Read the
entire article at Open Salon:
http://open.salon.com/blog/steve_klingaman
