The success of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-worker agenda is hinging on the outcome of the state Supreme Court election, according to an e-mail sent to Walker’s supporters by his chief counsel, Brian Hagedorn.
The race is currently too close to call, with challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg holding a 309-vote lead over Walker ally Justice David Prosser with five precincts left to report.
Prosser originally billed his reelection campaign as being about “protecting the conservative judicial majority and acting as a common sense complement to both the new [Walker] administration and Legislature.” Recently, however, he has attempted to claim independence. But Hagedorn’s e-mail laid it plain to Walker’s supporters: elect Prosser, or the governor’s agenda is in peril. From the e-mail:
“If Justice Prosser loses:
* The Supreme Court will shift from a 4-3 conservative majority to a 4-3 liberal majority.
* Governor Walker’s agenda could be stopped in its tracks by this new activist majority.
* Union bosses and their allies will be emboldened and further push to recall the brave Senators who voted for Governor Walker’s budget repair bill.
* (Chief Justice) Shirley Abrahamson and her allies will continue to drag down the reputation of the Court, with an additional vote to further push through their radical agenda.”
The last few weeks have been rough on Walker. His anti-union “budget” bill was held up in court. Union leaders filed a recall petition against one Republican member of the state Senate, with as many as seven more potentially coming. Yesterday, Wisconsin voters offered a referendum on Walker at the ballot box, soundly defeating his hand-picked candidate in the race for his old seat as Milwaukee County Executive. And the Supreme Court race, where Prosser was a clear favorite coming out of the primary, now appears headed for a recount.
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