Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker survived a pro-abortion attempt to recall him and install him with pro-abortion Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee, as the new governor for the Badger State.
With 59 percent of the precincts reporting, Walker captured 57 percent of the vote and Barrett 42 percent.
“This is such a tremendous victory for Wisconsin taxpayers,” said Ciara Matthews, Walker campaign communications director. “Today, Wisconsin voters have told the nation they stand with Governor Walker because he stands with them.”
Following his victory over Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Governor Walker thanked the voters for their support and focused on the future.
“Bringing our state together will take some time, but I hope to start right away,” Governor Walker said. “It is time to put our differences aside and figure out ways that we can move Wisconsin forward.”
The battle was a tough one for pro-life advocates in the state, who worked overtime to try to keep Walker and pro-life Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, both of whom received endorsements from Wisconsin Right to Life. Kleefisch survived her recall battle as well against a pro-abortion opponent.
“Governor Walker’s deep belief in the sanctity of all human life is evident in the courageous actions he has taken to build a culture of life in Wisconsin. His concern for the most vulnerable members of the human family is reflected in the common sense and compassionate laws he has signed into law. Those initiatives will greatly benefit unborn children, women who are considering abortion and taxpayers of our state,” said WRTL PAC Director Susan Armacost.
According to CNN, exit polls showed Walker would win:
The exit polls showed that nearly nine of ten voters made their decisions in the recall election prior to May, when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett won the Democratic primary to challenge Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican. Petitions for the recall election circulated after Walker signed a bill last spring which cut collective bargaining rights for many state employees, prompting massive protests at the state house.
Only seven percent made up their minds either on Election Day or in recent days, the exit polls showed.
Those who went out on Tuesday to cast ballots were nearly evenly divided along party affiliation, the exit polls showed, with 35% of those voting being Democrats, 33% Republicans, and 32% independent voters.
Neither party had an edge among voter’s favorability: Republicans and Democrats alike were seen as unfavorable to 50% of those who cast ballots on Tuesday, and 47% saw each party as favorable.
Barrett, who unsuccessfully ran for governor against Walker in 2010, defeated fellow pro-abortion Democrat Kathleen Falk in a landslide despite initial predictions by political pundits for the race to be competitive. Falk lost Dane County by 31 points despite having represented the area as county executive. Falk’s defeat was a blow to pro-abortion EMILY’s List, which had offered her their endorsement in the race.
By contrast, while serving as a member of Congress Tom Barrett opposed common sense legislation on abortion like the Hyde Amendment, which broadly bars federal funding for abortion. Barrett reaffirmed his commitment to public funding of abortion at a candidate forum telling a Weekly Standard reporter he stands by his opposition to the Hyde Amendment.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin also supported Barrett in his bid for governor. The Wisconsin affiliate of the nation’s largest abortion provider strongly opposed Walker’s election saying, “Scott Walker, during his career in the state legislature, sponsored some of the most extreme anti-women’s health policies.”
From the beginning, Planned Parenthood supported the recall effort. “Governor Walker has led the attack against women and women’s access to health care and information,” said Tanya Atkinson, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin. “As a health care provider serving almost 80,000 Wisconsin women last year, most of whom are at or below the federal poverty limit, our patients cannot afford three more years of Governor Walker.”
The Barrett campaign released an ad attacking Governor Walker’s pro-life achievements, accusing him of waging a war against women.
Since Governor Walker took office in January 2011, the pro-life movement in Wisconsin has made monumental gains. Walker signed into law a state budget that included a provision to prohibit the UW Hospital Authority from being involved in performing abortions and from using taxpayer dollars to pay medical students to learn how to perform abortions. Walker steered Wisconsin Well Woman funds to local counties instead of Planned Parenthood.
Governor Walker also signed bills that allow Wisconsin to opt out of abortion funding under Obamacare, to protect pregnant women from coerced abortions and to prohibit RU486 chemical web cam abortions.
Walker’s pro-life achievements have earned him the praise of Wisconsin’s top pro-life groups and, contrary to the claims from abortion advocates, the support of many women. Just one example comes in the form of a letter to the editor in the Stevens Point Journal, entitled “Kudos to Governor Walker for pro-life record.” The author, Kathleen Sommers of Custer, Wisconsin, thanks Walker for standing up for women by signing the bill banning coerced abortions.
Governor Walker stands as one of the nation’s most supportive governors for the rights of our society’s most vulnerable. Tom Barrett would have used taxpayer funds to destroy innocent unborn human lives.
