On Wisconsin: Turnout Is the story

As I sit here typing away, Kloppenberg is now ahead by just under 500 votes in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Disappointing. Recount to follow and I can't be optimistic. Even if Kloppenberg wins, however the fact that this was close is telling. Conservatives throughout the blogosphere were downright fatalistic before the polls closed. Not that that's anything new. On election day, we conservatives are like Eagles and Jets fans on any given Sunday in January. We just know there's a shoe to drop somewhere.

The Democrats even if they eke this out cannot be too thrilled. The contentiousness has so brazenly worked to their advantage in the press that it was reasonable to believe that Prosser would be clobbered. The unions threw the kitchen sink,the dishwasher and they damn near stripped the copper wiring and flogged Prosser with it. They, at this time I suspect have a recount advantage, but they cannot be happy that at their political peak in this moment they are in a slight lead. There are no prizes for second place in elections, but this outcome may be a "pyrhhic" victory for Richard Trumka. So great an effort and a scant prospect of victory. If you can't crush a judicial candidate, how will anyone fear you if they are running for Governor or Senator?
 
While everyone is wringing their hands over the state of Wisconsin and this too close to call election it must be noted that the real story is the turnout. Events in Wisconsin did warrant a higher than normal turnout. That is expected. But one and a half million votes cast? In a State Supreme Court election? Are you kidding me? Events did not foresee such an ungodly turnout as high as those stakes were.

Wisconsin voters sent a message to both parties last night. Things are not the way they seem. For Democrats the message was don't let the press create a false wave and for Republicans and conservatives alike, things aren't as gloomy as you think.

Six months after historic mid term elections, the voters turned out on the first Tuesday in April in an off year judicial election to the tune of  1 1/2 million. Everyone across the political spectrum is on notice. The voters are still watching and waiting and voting. They don't like their vote being presumed and all bets are off. It's the turnout stupid.