- The big money in each of today’s big races – Walker, funded against his recallers by 7 to 1; Daly, backed by nearly a million in corporate Independent Expenditures; and Bushala, sole funder of the Fullerton Recall.
Keep checking back here all day for the latest on today’s biggest races! Other OJ bloggers, go ahead and add in what you find out.
The Fullerton Recall!
Okay, with 10% of the precincts reporting (plus absentees) the recall of all Three Bald Tires looks assured; and it looks like two of Tony’s candidates are getting in – Sebourn and Kiger – with “cardboard” Chaffee beating the wild-eyed Levinson. Congratulations, all, and meet your new Fullerton council:
Your new Fullerton council till the end of the year: Kiger, Whitaker, Mayor Quirk-Silva, Chaffee, and Sebourn. Quirk-Silva is running for assembly and will leave an open seat; Kiger will have to run again in November.
AD-69: Tom, Julio and Michele – who gets voted off the island?
10:15 – right now, with less than 10% of precincts reporting, Tom Daly is way ahead at 40%, and surprisingly for a guy who’s supposedly not running, Republican Joe Moreno is in second. Emami predicted that and I thought he was crazy! Our most Democratic and most Latino district, and it’s being led by a white faux-Republican and a latino real Republican. Michele and Julio are battling over 3rd right now, with Michele a little ahead. I sure hope Julio’s late ground game starts kicking in. I wouldn’t know WHO to support between Daly and Moreno – I respect Moreno a lot more.
Midnite. Wow. Things haven’t changed much. Julio has crept past Michele for third place (did someone stole her bike?) but with nearly all precincts reporting, it looks like real Republican Moreno vs. half-Republican Daly. Emami was right! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DEMOCRATS AND MEXICANS DON’T GET OUT TO VOTE!!! I may, for once, back a Republican.
Other OC & California races
9:51 – Prop. 28, altering term limits, has passed. Californians obviously thought they were shortening, tightening term limits, but it’s more complicated than that. I think it makes legislators SAFER.
Meanwhile Prop 29, the cigarette tax, is gonna be really close.
It looks like those of us who were looking forward to seeing Orly Taitz as the Republicans’ answer to DiFi may be disappointed – relatively sane Republicans Elizabeth Emken and Dan Hughes are both coming in well ahead of Mission Viejo’s Birther Queen. Score one disappointment re. entertainment value.
10:12. 72nd AD. I think we’ve seen the last of feisty Travis Allen. Troy Edgar, the “big taxer” and Ed Royce acolyte, is comfortably ahead, while Viet Reep Long Pham and Viet Dem Joe Dovinh battle it out for second. 11:20 – Dovinh just slipped into second place! Half of precincts reporting so I guess that could switch back. But, if all Viets and all Democrats (and enough independents) go with Joe in November… Shit, I can’t go to sleep now. 12:30 – Dovinh is still in second, Long has fallen behind .. BUT .. Travis, who pulled out all the stops in the last couple weeks with a bunch of attack mailers and that big Boulevard of the Cars sign over the 405, is SNEAKING UP. I guess we won’t know till the morning if we’ve got a REEP bloodbath or a two-party race!
and the 74th is looking like Mansoor vs. Rush. I will like that race, and look forward to getting to know Bob. And it’s nice to see at least one race where tens of thousands of Late Independent Expenditures (LIES) – that’s Munger for Daigle – didn’t bear fruit.
Scott Lay just wrote : “MEMO TO: Charles Munger, Jr. FROM: SML. Sorry the Daigle thing didn’t work out (big way). Please check my portfolio for better investment options.”
OC Board of Education seat 1 – That psycho Pedroza who used to run this blog is in third right now, and Elizondo whom this blog preferred is way behind in fourth. I knew he should change his name. Fortunately Ken Nguyen, who seems reasonable, is in first right now, hopefully the rightwing extremist Hammond doesn’t catch up with him. 11pm – Oh shit! The anti-public-education home-schooler Hammond has just inched ahead! Still early though. This will be a suspenseful one. For those who care about education in the OC, that is.
Wisconsin: the Scott Walker Recall (and other recalls)
Word is, turnout in the Badger State today is up to the level of Presidential elections (in stark contrast to sleepy California today.) Polls close there at 6 PM our time, and we’ll keep you up to date. If it looks bad at first, remember that the cavalry of very liberal Milwaukee usually comes racing in last of all, with all its working class voters. But the polls are close as can be, and both sides are fully aware of the national implications of this battle in the larger war of the 1% kleptocrats against the rest of us.
6:45 our time – Results trickling in with Walker ahead 60-39, 14% of precincts reporting. But remember, the Dem areas come in later, a CNN exit poll has them tied 50-50.
7:14 Walker has won. That 7-to-1 funding difference really worked. Game to Koch Brothers and Citizens United.
MIDNITE. But, you know what? At the same time as this attempted recall of the Governor was the attempted recall of four Republican Senators, and if only ONE of them was recalled and replaced with a Dem, it would shift the control of the Senate and stymie Walker’s anti-worker, anti-education, anti-voting agenda. And it looks like we have JUST BARELY MANAGED TO PULL THAT OFF – in the 21st district which includes the beautiful town of RACINE – Democrat John Lehman, with all precincts reporting, is 1 percent ahead of incumbent Republican Van Wanggaard – that’s 800 votes. Now THAT IS SOMETHING I BET YOU DIDN’T HEAR ON THE NEWS! HA! HA!!!!!
This was WORTH staying up this late. I don’t think my Wisconsin friends even know about this!
I see that Al Jabbar caught me in mid-dance step….
I always read your blog but don’t usually comment. However, the photo about Scott Walker was too funny. Kids!
Good luck to you.
“Walker Survives Wisconsin Recall”………. Hmmmmmm
4 more years of Adolf Hitler!…….
That was your name for Walker you communist idiots!
“Bushala, sole funder of the Fullerton Recall”……….. Hmmmmmm
As a Forex exchange investor myself, good investment Tony.
Too bad that you are a leftist.
“Control of WIS. Senate shifts to DEMS!!!”
BFD – the WIS Legislature isn’t scheduled to convene again until January, and whoever wins the majority in the WIS Senate recall will have to defend it before then in the November election.
They may have to convene after Scott Walker goes to prison.
keep dreaming diamond
You don’t even know what he’s under investigation for, do you?
Hm. Thanks for that info, nobody’s writing about it. Still, I bet they keep control of the legislature. Winsconsinites don’t like what Walker’s been doing, but they are tired of recalls. But Obama IS way up in the polls there over Romney. I think they want a balanced government that will work together. If Scotty can do that with his big swollen head.
“Winsconsinites don’t like what Walker’s been doing, but they are tired of recalls”……….. Hmmmmmm
Driven by hunger, a fox tried to reach some grapes hanging high on the vine but was unable to, although he leaped with all his strength. As he went away, the fox remarked, ‘Oh, you aren’t even ripe yet! I don’t need any sour grapes.’
-Aesop, a slave Greece between 620 and 560 BC
People who speak disparagingly of things that they cannot attain would do well to apply this story to themselves.
TRUE EVEN AFTER 2500 YEARS.
Why are you such an uneducated pleb Gröfaz?
Yes, we would have liked those grapes. Not the end of the world though.
“Not the end of the world though”………. Hmmmmmm
There never is!
But the left-liberal-progressive pendulum is retrograding in the USA and the world wide too — for sure.
So this is as the best as you ever get it Gröfaz and now back to be the hungry miserable lumpenproletariat.
Bumper:
horray for wisc , horray for scott walker for stopping the union goons from taking over . horray for san jose and san diego who want to put this crazy pension reform of public employees to a halt .. now if the rest of calif can get their crap together and release themselves from the stanglehold that the destructive public employees unions hold on this state .. hopefully this is a omen of what is to come in nov .. peole are sick n tired of out of controll spending and taxes = aka calif ..
“hopefully this is a omen of what is to come in nov .. peole are sick n tired of out of controll spending and taxes = aka calif”………….. Hmmmmmmmm
The Godfather of public union J. Brown (Fidel sympathizer) is still in charge of Calif.
We need 4 more years of Jerry so the people will get even sicker.
STANLEY DONT KNOW IF THEIR IS ANY HOPE FOR THIS STATE . UNTIL THE PEOPLE DO GET SICK OF ALL THE DEMS IN OFFICE . AND THE UNIONS WHO CONTROL THEM THIS STATE IS IN THE TOLIET ..
In 1970 when I was planing my transition from the New York city to California the New Yorkers wan me that the Californians are crazy.
Until now I didn’t understood what they meant!
*”We need 4 more years of Jerry so the people will get even……..”
Agreed Stanley……just leave off the last word.
Come on now…you gotta love Old Downtown Brown!! Don’t cha? He is very cuddily!
Now, the cuddily Brown will be daily compared to Hitler Walker and his success to uplift Wisconsin and the questions will be asked why not the California.
That is the best part.
EXACTLY, Stan! That’s what I’ve been saying all along.
If the best CA tax raisers can do with Prop 29, the hated cancer sticks – is to get maybe 50% approval – that does not bode well for Brown’s proposed tax increase on the November ballot. And that is a good thing.
The resources behind the millionaire’s tax will be much greater and the arguments against this particular tax will be much more feeble.
so will the conservatives and anti tx people who will come out ot vote against a tax increase FOR WHAT THE 3RD TIME NOW . AND THE ANTI OBAMA VOTE ..
Keep telling yourself that Greg – you might even convince yourself of that.
Convinced or not, I’ll do what I can to help it pass. Good luck is preparation meeting opportunity.
“That 7-to-1 funding difference really worked.”
Why didn’t union supporters in and out of state spend more money? They had it to spend.
Because they had polling data that indicated the recall was going down in flames. They were right – save your money to fight another day.
No, we didn’t have it.
Despite your rightwing mythology, the unions are not all-powerful like the billionaires and corporations.
Oh yeah – why didn’t Obama spend some of his “capital” to help out the union cry babies?
He had it to spend.
Better question.
I note, both Presidential candidates kept their distance. Probably prudently.
Yes the dems did have it available in Independent Expenditures (IEs) – why did those not come in for the dems? Those are not limited.
Or did those IEs come in – and you are conveniently leaving that part out of your “it’s not fair” equation?
First of all — and I know that it seems like I must be making this up, but I’m not — Wisconsin law allowed Walker to raise unlimited money for this campaign while preventing his opponent Barrett from raising more than relatively small capped donations. True, look it up.
Second, because Charles and Ed Koch have wealth of about $70 billion just by themselves. Is that more than the AFL-CIO and Teamsters and who knows else have to spent — dwarved by just two people?
The system is broken, skally; have the decency not to be thrilled over it.
Yeah – those laws were voted in by dems – talk about hoisted by their own petard!
Why was BHO absent without leave? Isn’t that dereliction of duty?
Vern: “Despite your rightwing mythology, the unions are not all-powerful ..”
Walker spent $30 million – Barrett and the unions spent $25 million. That’s not a 7-to-1 differential. And when you add in unions’ advantage in ground game – you’re talking about a better-than-even split for Barrett.
Skallywag,
Where did you get that 25 million (spent by unions) figure?
Please provide a link to that info.
Ditto. We need to know where you pulled that out of. It’s dramatically different from anything *I’ve* read.
And also, I don’t do the “It’s not fair.” I just recite the facts. If we’da won, I woulda loved the fact that we were outspent 7 to 1. Like I loved the fact that Whitman’s overspending and Munger’s overspending on Daigle accomplished nothing, and I laugh at Ed Royce for spending 2 million on a meaningless primary just now.
Still, just the fact that such unlimited anonymous spending is allowed is a problem, don’t you think? That’s why we’re doing the least we can right now by pushing the California DISCLOSE Act, as well as trying to amend the Constitution to rescind Citizens United. Hope you’re with us there.
“We need to know where you pulled that out of. It’s dramatically different from anything *I’ve* read.”
You wouldn’t hear it on liberal websites, including the mainstream media.
This must be skally’s way of saying “it’s a lie, but I’m not going to ruin it by checking out the original sources.”
*You guys always blame “something”…too much money….too much influence….too much walking in the sunshine….too much walking in the shadows.
Face it: Although a nice guy…the Democratic Mayor of Milwaukee was not a good choice against Walker. Additionally, Walker is total slime….and kept pushing “I’m just doin what the voters wanted when I was elected!” As Stanley says so eloquently: That is what Hitler said too! Walker is total slime that pimped his way into a national fund raising deal that gave him enough money to keep telling the big lie. Again, if he didn’t have the correct message…he would have suffered the Meg Whitman curse. All the money in the world can’t help you when you have the wrong candidate and the wrong message….which sadly….the Unions couldn’t overcome this time.
California is a different deal and we have some very nasty and wily coyote Union members that will take on the power “immediately”…..not waiting until the Legislature
passes the “death camps”. Can you guys imagine the “Teachers Union” sitting on their hands and having any California Legislature say: “Oh this is a Right to Work State….you don’t have to belong unless you want to!” We had that chance to do that back in the 60’s and got our butts roughed up enough that no one has tried it since then!
So to you the role of money in elections is comparable to the role of too much walking in the sunshine.
You cannot possibly be this ignorant. Talk to a political consultant and ask them whether money matters.
Winships,
Are there any politicians that you like?
Please don’t say John Campbell.
*Dr. D., What is the sound of one hand clapping? You read what you want…interpet what you want and hardly ever listen to anyone. Hey, we can relate…but occasionally we actually give folks their due.
Jose “Joe” Moreno didn’t spend a dime. So, how did he show up number 2 against
your bud Daly? Did he have a secret stash of “walking around money” he handed out to people walking by the polls. Come on Dr. D. …get with the program.
“Message and Money”. You need both…..get it? If you don’t have a message, you need a strong political party to belong to have to be very attractive and non confrontational. You have to smile alot, not say a thing except when asked and then equivacate. Not many can hold their tongues that long and usually blow it when some dumb news person mentions something negative you have done.
OK, Dr. D., you didn’t do well this time. Take the free advice and win next time.
Dr. D has not yet begun to fight.
He had a ballot line identifying himself as a Republican in a district that has a minority of Republicans, but possibly enough to allow him to place second against a divided Democratic field. That’s how he finished second.
“My bud Daly”? DO YOU EVEN READ MY STORIES???
I did exactly what I predicted here, losing in a meaningless primary by 64-36. I did well enough to fundraise off of it — and so I shall.
It is not nice to throw around the “L” word Greg.
Union money pours in – Campaign contributions tell only part of the story. National unions have kept Barrett’s campaign alive by funding outside groups dedicated to defeating Walker.
Union funds ground game – A third public sector union based in Washington, D.C., AFSCME, has set up a special account for the Wisconsin battles, which also include recall votes for four GOP state senators. Much of that money has gone to staff a vast, union-funded network of dozens of field offices in the state.
We are Wisconsin and a second group, the Greater Wisconsin Committee, saw an infusion of union cash for Barrett’s second attempt in May. We are Wisconsin got another $500,000 from the NEA’ Advocacy Fund on May 7 — making for a cool million from the teachers union super PAC in under two months.
McCabe says the 1.91 groups that are based in-state, like We Are Wisconsin and Greater Wisconsin, also have ways around disclosure rules. The nonprofit arms of these organizations don’t have to disclose donors, and can funnel unlimited money from undisclosed sources into independent expenditure funds — making the source of a lot of campaign cash “nearly impossible to track.”
For example, Greater Wisconsin transferred $191,000 from its political fund to its independent expenditure fund in early May. The money would be spent on ads supporting Barrett or opposing Walker. Because its political fund does not have to report donors to the state, no one knows who paid for the ads — an end-around the state’s disclosure rules that parallels campaign financing tricks at the federal level.
The group is required to report its donors to the IRS. Its report covering the second quarter of 2012 is due July 15.
Then there are issue ad groups which raise and spend unlimited funds, and do not register or disclose their spending. However, they are barred from urging voters to support or oppose a candidate.
The Campaign for Wisconsin Democracy gathers purchasing data from media outlets, and estimates about $8.5 million in issue ads have been bought during the recall.
Update, (June 7, 12:33 pm): Outside groups made a final spending blitz on the weekend before the recall vote. According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, outside spending, which includes independent expenditures and issue ad buys, now totals roughly $33.5 million.
Of this sum, Walker supporters outspent Barrett supporters $18 million to $15.5 million.
The state’s registered 1.91 groups —which can spend unlimited corporate and union dollars to expressly advocate for candidates thanks to Citizens United — spent $24.5 million.
Unions devoted their resources to 1.91 groups, spending about $13.5 million on ads and field staff. The Walker camp benefited from major spending by the Republican Governors Association, whose Right Direction Wisconsin group made a majority of the Walker camp’s $11 million in independent expenditures.
As you are aware Greg and Vern – direct campaign contributions do not tell the whole story – so don’t purport that it does. Thank you.
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/06/03/9039/wisconsin-recall-breaks-record-thanks-outside-cash
Anonster, can you take this? Me and Greg are hella busy with new stories. Thank you in advance, dear…
Here’s the deal, even the article skallywag cites agrees that Walker outspent Barrett 7 to 1;
“Walker has outraised Barrett 7 ½ to 1 since late 2011, though Barrett didn’t enter the race until late March”
But that is just their campaign funds, there were also “independent expenditures” and skallywag is partially correct although he did do a little selective addition;
“Walker spent $30 million – Barrett and the unions spent $25 million. That’s not a 7-to-1 differential. And when you add in unions’ advantage in ground game – you’re talking about a better-than-even split for Barrett.”
He added Barrett’s independent expenditures to his overall total, but NOT Walker’s.
Here’s the breakdown courtesy of MotherJones (and before your hair catches fire skallywag their source was the Center for Public Integrity);
$63.5 million: The minimum amount spent by both sides in the recall
70 percent: How much more expensive the governor’s recall election is than the state’s second-most expensive race (the 2010 gubernatorial campaign)
$30.5 million: Amount raised by Walker to fight off the recall effort
$3.9 million: Amount raised by his challenger, Tom Barrett, the Democratic mayor of Milwaukee
About 2/3: Proportion of Walker’s donations that have come from donors outside Wisconsin
About 1/4: Proportion of Barrett’s donations that have come from donors outside Wisconsin
Unlimited: Maximum individual donation Walker may accept under state law
$10,000: Maximum individual donation Barrett may accept under state law
$18 million: Amount spent on pro-Walker independent expenditures and issue ads
$15.5 million: Amount spent on pro-Barrett independent expenditures and issue ads
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/06/wisconsin-walker-recall-money-stats
It is so nice to have you back.
Thanks Greg.
I would like to know what our conservative friends think that Walker’s billionaire supporters expect to get for their $$$,$$$.$$’s.
From that same MJ’s article;
• $510,000 to Walker from Diane Hendricks, Wisconsin’s richest businesswoman and a member of Charles and David Koch’s million-dollar donor club
• $490,000 to Walker from Bob Perry, a Houston homebuilder who with his wife has spent more than $8 million on the 2012 elections
• $260,000 to Walker from David Humphreys, a member of the Kochs’ million-dollar donor club
• $250,000 to Walker from former Amway CEO Dick DeVos of Michigan, a member of the Kochs’ million-dollar donor club
• $250,000 to Walker from Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who with his wife has spent more than $25 million on the 2012 elections
• $100,000 to Walker from Wyoming investor Foster Friess, a member of the Kochs’ million-dollar donor club
• $100,000 to Walker from New York billionaire Louis Bacon, a media-shy hedge-fund trader
• $100,000 to Walker from Dallas oil and gas billionaire Trevor Rees-Jones
Bottom line:
There was NOT a 7 to 1 advantage – IEs evened things out.
Dems may have gotten the state senate back – temporarily.
You skipped over “skallywag added IEs for Barrett but not for Walker” in your sprint to the bottom lime.
The ratio in spending between the candidates was 7+ to 1. LIEs did not “even things out”: they lowered the proportion, but exacerbated the gap between the campaigns from $26.5 million to $29 million — so far.
I note your complaint below about my use of the “L-word”; I didn’t look it up, but I’m sorry that I apparently called you a lesbian.
*skallywag – Good comments all…..except how about Newt’s buddy Adelson…spending several million on a now defunct “Give a Hoot for Newt” Campaign? Leslie Daigle’s mentor for about $600,000? Unabated Corporate Cash hidden in a 1000 different Independent Expenditure Committee which will never see the light of day?
Who do we like? Duncan Hunter in S.D., Darrell Issa, Dana & Rhonda and Ed Royce is OK too. Locally, things are tougher. We do love Bill & Mary Campbell..now out on Term Limits, John Shadegg….from Arizona…now retired. Bill McCollum from Florida is a great guy. There are a few……but hard to nail down. John Moorlach has always been >Mr. Eclectic” and has the stuff….to be attractive.
Most of them are duplicitous, nasty, mean spirited, lying, conniving, paid off, twisted, lost in space, unfaithful, weirdos! Because mainly, unless they have those tools…they are not going to get elected. At least over once.
Hey, we are not cynical…..just have been watching the river flow for a while.
I am with you on all the locals. Muchas gracias for not including John Campbell in your good guys list.