As Dems Prevail, GOP Urged to Pay for 'Fake' Wisconsin Primaries

Republicans cost Wisconsin nearly a half-million dollars to run six fake Democrats who were defeated in state senate recall primaries this week, prompting Badger State Democrats to call on the GOP to pay for the bogus balloting. 

"It’s clear that Democrats have the momentum," said Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate of the half-dozen victories Democrats had over their faux opponent's in yesterday's primaries.

Those Wisconsin Democrats will face in recall elections Aug. 9 six GOP state senators who helped Gov. Scott Walker slam through a measure that stripped away benefits for state and local workers.

Unions and workers' rights advocates believe Walker's maneuver, under the guise of cost savings, was nothing more than union-busting on behalf of his corporate financiers, the notorious Koch brothers.

Republicans are also waging recall bids against three Democratic state senators targeted for fleeing the state to keep Walker from imposing his crackdown on public employees.

Republicans entered fake Democrats in all six primary races in an attempt to confuse voters and force an extra four weeks for the GOP incumbents to raise money before the Aug. 9 general election.

The episode in political hypocrisy, led by the purported budget-conscious Walker, may be one of the more questionable, if not immoral, expenses heaped on taxpayers since the fiscal crisis first struck the nation in the summer of 2008.

"The shameful and despicable GOP tactic to delay judgment day for the 'Walker 6' by running fake Democrats needlessly cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Stephanie Bloomingdale.

"This GOP trickery fell flat. (Tuesday's) result proves the people of Wisconsin are serious. On Aug. 9, we will recall the senators who chose to stand with Scott Walker’s corporate backers at the expense of working families," she added.

Tate said today the GOP "abused the electoral process" and should repay the taxpayers of Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calculates the primaries came with a $475,000 price tag.

"It is time to officially call for Scott Walker and the Republican party to reimburse the taxpayers for the extra cost they were forced to bear yesterday for these fake candidates," Tate said.

But John Hogan, who is managing the GOP senators efforts to keep their jobs, fired back that Democrats and unions called for the recalls and should be paying the costs.

"This is all Mike Tate’s doing, so he should pay for the whole thing," Hogan told the Journal Sentinel.

So far it looks like the Democrats are out-raising the Republicans in the state senate races, according to Talking Points Memo.