Gabriella Schwarz, CNN Associate Producer
With contributions by CNN's Paul Steinhauser & Ashley Killough
August 9th, 2011
The fallout from the Wisconsin saga over collective bargaining rights that ignited in February continues Tuesday with six recall elections that potentially hold national political implications in the bellwether state...
Six incumbent Republican state senators are targeted in the contests that are in part a referendum on GOP Gov. Scott Walker and the target of increased political advertising and spending.
Republicans hope to retain the majority in the state Senate, which they currently hold 19-14. Democrats are angling to win GOP-held seats to capture control of the upper chamber. A Democratic incumbent state senator held onto his seat in July, and two other Democrats will be on the ballot August 16th.
The elections stem from a budget battle between unions and the agenda of Gov. Walker, who was elected last November with strong support from tea party activists, which divided the state earlier in the year.
Republicans insisted the measure was necessary to control the skyrocketing costs of public employee benefits and close the budget shortfall. Democrats argued it was an attempt to gut public-sector labor unions, one of their core constituencies. The legislation was upheld by the state Supreme Court in June.
In the recall elections, state Democrats object to Republican legislators' support of the collective bargaining law while Republicans are critical of Democratic lawmakers who left the state during negotiations in opposition to Walker's agenda, in an effort to block the bill. While the debate waged on, the fleeing lawmakers and protests at the state capitol made national headlines.
The debate has consistently attracted national attention and funds. Independent groups from both sides of the aisle released ads in the Badger State and tea party groups joined forces Friday for a four-day bus tour defending the Republican lawmakers.
The Tea Party Express hosted rallies Monday "as a final push to support conservatives who know that responsible budget reform has brought new jobs and greater prosperity to the state of Wisconsin," according to the group.
Amy Kremer, the chairman of Tea Party Express, said Washington should take a lesson from the Wisconsin recall elections.
"These Republicans and Gov. Walker have done what they were sent to do," Kremer said Tuesday on CNN's "American Morning." "Wisconsin is leading the way in turning the economy around and creating jobs again."
But Dian Palmer, president of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, said "nobody should take example after Wisconsin."
"We took a state that was very settled and disrupted it," Palmer said on CNN. "We caused a lot of havoc in the state because of what the Republicans have done."
Ken Goldstein, president of Campaign Media Analysis Group and CNN's consultant on TV advertising, said the amount of money flowing into the races is "extraordinary."
"To see this much spent in Senate elections and to see this much spent on broadcast TV is absolutely unprecedented," Goldstein said. "The races have become nationalized and the perceived stakes are high, so there is lots of money to play with."