Power

Wisconsin’s June 5th Recall Will Be A Reproductive Rights Rematch

With Tom Barrett winning the primary, the Wisconsin battle will be between two old foes.

Walker (left) v. Barrett, 2010. [img src]

The Wisconsin recall on June 5th should really be called the Wisconsin rematch, now that Tom Barrett has clinched the Democratic nomination during this week’s primary. Barrett’s win over Kathleen Falk means that there will be a literal do over of the 2010 race that put Republican Governor Scott Walker in the governor’s mansion.

Barrett has said that going forward, it will be a time for unity among Democrats, and a chance to resolve the extremism that has taken over the state since Walker took office.

Via the Journal Sentinel Online:

“Do we want a governor who has divided this state like it has never been divided before? Do we want a governor who has caused this state to lose more jobs than any other state in this country?” Barrett asked the crowd. “This race is not about the past. It is not about the past. It is about the future of Wisconsin.”

So what is the likelihood that Walker would be pulled from office?  The results in 2010 weren’t terribly close between the two candidates, with Walker winning the governor’s race by 6 points — although it was a Republican sweep year.  And the primary showed a sitting governor with no real competition who received as many votes as all of the Democratic candidates in the tightly contested primary received combined.

But although many will be voting in reaction to Walker’s attempts to force through radical budgetary policies and crush unions, he will also be held responsible for his stances on fighting health care reform, destroying the Healthy Children initiative, and decimating Badger Care in an attempt to de-fund Planned Parenthood.  With bills that have rolled back many of the reproductive freedoms women in the state have won, and one so onerous it has stopped Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin from performing medication abortions altogether, no doubt his stance on choice will be a key election issue, too.