Ds made up 35% of electorate in #wirecall, 39% in '08. But, GOP didn't increase - 33% today and '08. Also, % of liberals same 2day as '08
— @amyewalter via TweetDeck
Our official election night liveblog doesn't start until later, but Wisconsin has provided more pre-results news than any other election I can remember. It's absolute mania.
To recap, turnout is huge everywhere. But there are more Democrats than Republicans in Wisconsin, so if we get our people to turn out, we win.
On that front, things look promising. Madison expects turnout at 119 percent -- possible because of same-day voter registration. Milwaukee, which slept through the 2010 election, appears awake. Multiple reports peg turnout at the state's largest city approaching 2008 presidential levels.
To be sure, Republicans are experiencing massive turnout as well. Wisconsin is proof today that polarized politics motivates people to get engaged, contrary to what the know-nothings in the national punditry (and No Labels/Third Way/Unity 08/Americans Elect) love to claim. It's true democracy! People feel like they have a real choice, and they're getting engaged!
Meanwhile, Republicans (promoted by Fox and the Breitbarts) are concocting some conspiracy theory about Dems busing black people from Detroit in FOUR buses to throw the election to Democrat Tom Barrett. The source of the conspiracy? A random person who refused to give his name calling in to a random radio conservative radio show. No joke.
With that background, let's get back to impromptu live blogging.
4:01 PM PT:
4:17 PM PT:
Another 600 ballots about to be sent to
De Pere. County print shop has been working ahead #wirecall
— @PGDougSchneider via web
De Pere is a town of 20,000 people. It's in Brown County, which went for Walker by double-digits.
4:20 PM PT: More from Brown County:
Count at 5:30: 2831. Registered voters at primary here: 4156. Stack of new registrants: 2" thick (triplicate copies, though). #WIrecall
— @PGpaulsrubas via Twitter for iPhone
6:11 PM PT (Jed Lewison): Reince Priebus tonight: "If Scott Walker wins tonight, Democrats are going to have a circular firing squad next week." Reince Preibus last week: "Just remember, when the Democrats lose next week, they aren't going to just enter into the election for November. They are going to have a little circular firing squad and a blame game going on for a few weeks."
