WI recall: July 12 is the big day!

Mark your calendars, everybody! July 12 has been set as the date for the recall election of six Republican state senators and three Democrats (including our Teamster brother, Dave Hansen of Green Bay). We expect the massive public backlash against Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker will result in big wins for our side. That's the side that believes workers should have collective bargaining rights.

Walker is political kryptonite, and he'll continue to take down people who've joined his vindictive attacks on workers. If we hold the three Democratic seats and pick up three more, our side will control the Senate. That will put a real crimp in Walker's ability to continue his attacks on the middle class.

If yesterday's special election in Wisconsin is any indication, we have a good chance of succeeding. For the first time in 18 years, a Democrat won the 94th district. Outside Republican groups were so eager to avoid this symbolic loss they outspent the Democrats by at least 3-to-1.  Here's more good news: the 94th is the most Republican of Sen. Dan Hanky-Kapanke's three senate districts. Translation: He's in deep doo-doo.

And remember, the real political bellwether in Wisconsin was the race in March for Walker's old seat as Milwaukee county executive. Walker's hand-picked successor should have won easily, but lost by 20 points because of his ties to Walker.