MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Democrats moved ahead Wednesday with plans for running the state Senate, even though the crucial recall contest they say handed them a one-seat majority remained too close to call.
At a news conference, Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller of Monona said he is the new majority leader and has already spoken with Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald about the transition, dismissing the possibility that incumbent GOP Sen. Van Wanggaard might seek a recount.
“We look forward to opening up the governmental process to the public,” Miller said.
Fitzgerald said Miller’s stance is premature. He spoke to Miller on Wednesday but only about meeting in Madison to discuss committee structures and other details if the Democrats have indeed won the chamber.
“I don’t know why they’re rushing it so much,” Fitzgerald said. “Let’s wait and see what the (final vote tally) shows. They’re obviously trying to save face … and take a victory lap.”
Democrats forced Republican Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, Fitzgerald, Wangggard and two other GOP senators into recalls earlier this year as payback for supporting Walker’s contentious plan to strip most public workers of nearly all their collective bargaining rights.
One of the senators, Pam Galloway of Wausau, resigned rather than defend her seat, creating a 16-16 split between Democrats and Republicans. State election officials chose to allow the election in her district to go on regardless.
Democrats had to win only one of the contests Tuesday to seize control of the chamber; Republicans had to win all four to gain a majority.
It likely won’t matter much who ultimately wins the chamber, at least right now. The Legislature isn’t expected to convene again until January and whichever party gains the majority will have to defend it before then in November’s elections.
If Democrats get the Senate they could try to call an extra session before November, but Republicans still control the state Assembly and would never allow any major Democratic proposals to advance. If Republicans get the chamber, Walker could call a special session before November to consider a bill to jumpstart iron mining in the state, but that would be difficult since the measure failed to pass the Senate when Republicans had the majority with Galloway.
Still, bragging rights are on the line. Democrats are trying to save face after almost all the Republicans made short work of their recall challengers Tuesday night.
Walker handily dispatched Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Kleefisch easily defeated Mahlon Mitchell. Fitzgerald stopped Fort Atkinson photographer Lori Compas; Republican Sen. Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls defeated Kristen Dexter of Eau Claire; and Republican Jerry Petrowski of Marathon stopped Donna Seidel of Wausau to win Galloway’s open seat.
It appeared Wanggaard had the edge on challenger John Lehman in Racine’s 21st Senate District early on, too. But updates on the results slowed to a trickle as the night dragged on and sunrise was approaching by the time the count was completed. The unofficial tally showed Lehman leading Wanggaard by fewer than 800 votes.
Lehman, a former high school history teacher who held the 21st Senate seat until Wanggard defeated him in 2010, quickly proclaimed he was the winner and his fellow Democrats lined up behind him.
But Wanggaard, a former police investigator, has refused to concede. He said his supporters are pressing him to seek a recount.
The election was rife with what he termed “voting irregularities,” he said in a statement. He didn’t elaborate, but Fitzgerald said he heard people were still voting at 11 p.m., three hours after polls were supposed to close.
Racine County Clerk Wendy Christensen didn’t immediately return a message. Reid Magney, a spokesman for the Government Accountability Board, the entity that oversees Wisconsin elections, said he hadn’t heard of any problems at the polls.
Regardless, Wanggaard said he wants to wait until Racine County has completed its official vote count before making a move, he said.
“We all know that the best decisions are made when well-rested and after consideration of all the options,” Wanggaard said.
Wisconsin candidates can request a recount within three business days of county officials completing their final tally if they can articulate a reason for the review.
Racine County officials have until Friday to receive 529 outstanding absentee ballots, Magney said, and aren’t expected to begin their count until next week.
Wanggaard would be on the hook to pay for a portion of the recount’s costs. Under state law, candidates requesting a recall in races involving more than 1,000 votes must pay $5 per ward if the margin between the candidates is between half a percent and 2 percent of the vote.
The margin between Lehman and Wanggaard is 1 percent. According to the GAB, the race involved 137 wards. That means Wanggaard would owe $685.
