Be afraid Scott, be very afraid:
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker predicted Tuesday that his state could see a wave of Democratic victories in the 2018 midterm elections, and pressed supporters to "counter" the "Far Left."
Walker's comments came after liberal Judge Rebecca Dallet overcame conservative Judge Michael Screnock in the race for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat on Tuesday night.
"Tonight’s results show we are at risk of a #BlueWave in WI. The Far Left is driven by anger & hatred – we must counter it with optimism & organization," Walker, a Republican, tweeted. "Let’s share our positive story with voters & win in November."
"Big government special interests flooded Wisconsin with distorted facts & misinformation," he added in a second tweet. "Next, they'll target me and work to undo our bold reforms. We need to keep moving #WIForward & make sure a #BlueWave of outside special interest money doesn’t take us backward."
Just look at the Twitterstorm Scotty went on:
Scott Walker made a real asshole of himself last week trying to strangle democracy by failing to stop two special elections from being held. Walker has also been trying to get more Republicans like himself elected:
His RGA chairmanship is over, but Walker’s efforts to influence races outside Wisconsin continue. Already in 2018 he has headlined a fundraiser for Rep. Steve Pearce’s bid for governor in New Mexico, picked a favorite in Michigan’s heated gubernatorial primary, and chosen sides in a combative Senate primary in West Virginia by endorsing Patrick Morrisey. This month he will headline a fundraiser for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who survived a close primary and has perhaps the steepest challenge of any governor up for reelection this year.
Those close to Walker insist his first priority is reelection in Wisconsin. But they also acknowledge that Walker is methodical and strategic about his endorsements, and that a governor whose political identity is rooted in a clash with organized labor and public employee unions puts a priority on helping candidates who embrace conservative principles consistent with his brand.
"Gov. Walker endorses candidates who are willing to go big and bold, with reforms to state government that take on the big government special interests,” Brian Reisinger, a senior adviser to Walker’s political team, told BuzzFeed News.
Walker’s activity is not unusual for a former presidential candidate or governor who’s still regarded as a bright prospect within his party. But it does underscore the complicated relationship Republicans have with President Trump as midterm elections approach. Many borrow from Trump’s anti-establishment playbook and hope for his support in tough primaries; others hope he keeps his distance, especially in the fall. And that creates some space for an old 2016 rival such as Walker — who, unlike, say, John Kasich, is not seen as a threat to challenge Trump in 2020 — as a safe alternative. (Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also have waded into the 2018 endorsement pool.)
Walker’s judgment and coattails, at least locally, will be put to the test Tuesday in a Wisconsin judicial election where a Walker ally is seeking a seat on the state Supreme Court. And Democrats are planning an aggressive campaign against Walker in November.
By the way, Walker, being the asshole that he is, pulled this shit earlier today:
Most abortions for state and local workers would not be covered by their public insurance plans, under legislation signed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday.
Assembly Bill 128 prohibits government-provided health insurance plans from paying for abortions except in cases of rape or incest or to preserve the life of the mother. The restriction would apply to state workers and thousands of local government employees who get their coverage through the state Group Insurance Board.
Democrats said the measure was unnecessary because under previous state law state health plans would pay for an abortion only if a doctor has determined it is medically necessary. But supporters argued that the state needed to tighten the policy to protect taxpayers who have religious objections to their money being used in this way.
"Wisconsin Right to Life has been waiting 23 years for this major step to roll back taxpayer funding for abortion, and we are very happy to see this long-awaited legislation signed into law,” said Heather Weininger, executive director of the anti-abortion group Wisconsin Right to Life.
By the way, Walker’s BFF also made him look like an asshole:
Scott Walker's boy Donald Trump just slammed Wisconsin agriculture, writes Political Environment blogger James Rowen on the news that Trump's action on China is going to raise the cost of getting cranberries and other Badgerland staples into the Chinese market by as much as 15 percent. China just happens to be the third-largest importer of Wisconsin cranberries, Rowen notes.
As the state gets set to replace Justice Michael Gableman on the state Supreme Court, its citizens ought to also demand that the state enact a strong recusal rule for the judiciary, writes USA Today-Wisconsin citizen columnist Casey Hoff in the Sheboygan Press. He notes how Gableman continually refused to recuse himself even in cases where litigants like Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce had given him hundreds of thousands of dollars. He then wrote the opinion claiming the John Doe probe into illegal campaign practices was unconstitutional, letting WMC off the hook, Hoff points out.
Wisconsin is going to be a big state where the Blue Wave can hit hard. It’s not just Walker that’s a top target:
Democrats don’t really have any top-tier US House targets in Wisconsin this fall — Speaker Paul Ryan is being challenged by viral fundraiser Randy “Ironstache” Bryce, and Rep. Glenn Grothman (R) is on some target lists, but they’re both considered reaches for the party.
As for the governorship, where Walker is running for a third term, the Democratic field is currently inchoate — no candidate polled higher than 18 percent in a recent Marquette primary poll. (The August 14 primary is still a few months off.)
So the marquee Wisconsin contest in the 2018 midterms is instead the Senate race, in which Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) is running for a second term. State senator Leah Vukmir and Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson are squaring off in a tense primary contest for the Republican nomination. (Nicholson recently drew some national attention because his parents donated thousands of dollars to Baldwin.)
Baldwin is a staunch progressive representing a state Trump (narrowly) won, and conservative groups are desperate to defeat her, spending far disproportionately on the race compared to other 2018 contests. If Baldwin should lose, that would make it incredibly difficult for Democrats to retake the Senate, along with replacing a leading liberal with a solid conservative. But Dallet’s victory, and Democrats’ general overperformance in Trump era state elections, gives the party hope that Baldwin will survive.
We can certainly unseat Ryan. That seat is not out of reach. We can also make sure Baldwin gets re-elected and we can also help Dan Kohl (D. WI-06) unseat Rep. Glenn Grothman (D. WI-06). So let's make Walker’s worst nightmare come true and have the Big Blue Wave hit Wisconsin hard. Click below to donate and get involved with the Democrats running for Governor along with Baldwin, Kohl and Ironstaches’ campaigns:
Tony Evers
Dana Wachs
Kathleen Vinehout
Andy Gronik
Paul Soglin
Kelda Roys
Tammy Baldwin
Randy “Ironstache” Bryce
Dan Kohl