MADISON, Wis. — Democrats didn't fall victim to the fake-out in Tuesday's recall primaries, easily beating back a group of Republicans who ran as Democrats to earn shots at four state Senate seats next month.
Democrats are looking to oust three incumbent GOP senators and seize an open seat to punish the GOP for supporting Republican Gov. Scott Walker's contentious law stripping most public workers of their union rights. Republicans recruited four of their own to run as Democrats in each contest, forcing the real Democrats into primaries and delaying the general Senate recall elections until June 5. The Republicans used the same strategy during state Senate recalls last summer, with the same results.
GOP officials said the moves were designed to make sure the Republican incumbents faced general recall elections on the same day. They also had the practical effect of giving the incumbents another month to campaign and raise cash.
The fakes didn't bother to mount any campaigns, and it showed. The real Democrats handily defeated all of them to move on.
"We expected these results," said Dan Romportl, executive director of the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate. "The protest candidates were recruited as placeholders and we didn't put any resources behind them. ... This is more of a formality and we can move on to the final stretch."
Democrats, meanwhile, accused the Republican incumbents of hiding behind the fake candidates.
"As we've seen last year, Wisconsinites all across the state do not want their politicians hiding behind fake candidates as a result of not doing their jobs," said Brad Wojciechowski, a spokesman for the committee working to elect Democrats to the Senate. "They want a politician who stands up and has a backbone and will talk openly about issues."
Here's how the match-ups went:
—Fort Atkinson photographer Lori Compas defeated fake Democrat Gary Ellerman of Lake Mills in the 13th Senate District, which includes parts of Dodge, Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane counties. Unofficial results showed that with 99 precincts reporting, Compas had 72 percent of the vote and Ellerman had 28 percent. Compas will now face Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, on June 5.
—Former state Rep. John Lehman, D-Racine, defeated fake Democrat Tamra Varebrook of Union Grove in the 21st Senate District, which includes parts of the city of Racine and the surrounding area. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Lehman had 68 percent of the Varebrook had 32 percent. Lehman will face Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, in June.
—Former state Rep. Kristen Dexter, D-Eau Claire, defeated fake Democrat James Engel of Fall Creek in the 23rd Senate District, which includes parts of Dunn, Chippewa, Eau Claire and Clark counties. With 89 percent of precincts reporting, Dexter had 64 percent of the vote. Engel had 36 percent. Dexter will take on Sen. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, next month.
—State Rep. Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, defeated fake Democrat Jim Buckley of Antigo in the 29th Senate District, which includes parts of Marathon, Taylor, Price and Rusk counties. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Seidel had 64 percent of the vote. Buckley had 36 percent. Seidel will face Rep. Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, on June 5.
Incumbent Sen. Pam Galloway, R-Wausau, resigned after Democrats collected enough signatures to force her into a recall, leaving the seat open. The state Government Accountability Board decided the election would proceed regardless.
Democrats have forced Walker and Republican Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch into recalls as well. It's part of a Democratic plan to exact revenge on the GOP for Walker's union restrictions. The governor said he had to make the moves to help balance the state budget, but Democrats have portrayed the changes as an all-out attack on organized labor, one of their key constituencies.