Romney reacts to Wisconsin recall vote
(CNN) - Mitt Romney praised Gov. Scott Walker's win in Wisconsin's recall election, describing Tuesday night's results as a victory for the GOP nationwide.
"Tonight's results will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses," Romney said in a statement.
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The presumptive GOP presidential nominee also called Walker to personally offer his congratulations over the phone Tuesday night, according to a Romney campaign official.
Walker beat back a recall challenge after he signed into law a controversial bill last year to curb collective bargaining rights for most public employees, resulting in mass protests and political backlash.
In Romney's statement, he said the election marked a turning point in the ideological war over spending.
"Tonight voters said 'no' to the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday, and 'yes' to fiscal responsibility and a new direction. I look forward to working with Governor Walker to help build a better, brighter future for all Americans," he said.
The election was also underlined with political implications for the presidential race, as the highly-charged fight raised questions over whether Wisconsin would remain a traditionally blue state this November.
While other high profile Democrats traveled to Wisconsin to campaign on Barrett's behalf, President Barack Obama largely stayed out of the recall contest, most visibly affirming his support in a Monday evening tweet.
Obama's campaign, however, released a statement late Tuesday night, calling the results disappointing but applauding the Democratic-led effort to challenge the governor.
"While tonight's outcome was not what we had hoped for – no one can dispute the strong message sent to Governor Walker. Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites from all walks of life took a stand against the politics of division and against the flood of secret and corporate money spent on behalf of Scott Walker," said the campaign's Wisconsin director, Tripp Wellde.
Wellde pointed to polling data that showed the president faring better than Romney among Wisconsin voters when asked about the general election on Tuesday. According to CNN exit polls, Obama would have carried the state with 54% to GOP candidate Mitt Romney's 42%.
"These data points clearly demonstrate a very steep pathway for Mitt Romney to recover in the state," he said.
- CNN's Ashley Killough and Steve Brusk contributed to this report.
Also see:
Barrett says Obama visit would have been distraction
and you don't understand...
He gained many more than he lost. Think about it, Obama won the state by huge numbers, yet even with the massive campaigning from outside the state by the democrat party and the unions, they were unable to unseat Walker. Why? Simply put, he is good for the state, and most people are happy with his handling of the state's economy. Obama's handling of the economy has been dismal and they may look to the type of change that occurred in their state.
Money had nothing to do with Walker winning. You cannot seem to grasp that your message stinks. Big Government, big regulations, high taxes, entitlements, income redistribution are all horrible ideas for governing.
The Democrats do not have a CLUE as to what to do to solve our problems. All they know how to do is tax and grow government. That's not going to get it done. All the Dems can offer is more "trickle up poverty" and we've had nearly 4 years of that.
Here is an example of what happens when corporations are considered people. A crook is still in office and the corporations and the ultra rich now own Wisconsin. Romney and Walker are just the same. They are two faced liars.
No surprise that Mitt is all for a governor that is against unions and working average citizens. Walker sacrificed union and government jobs in order to save the rich from a tax increase and Mitt praises him. Kind of a hint about how Mit would be as president.
Unless they too are millionaires, it’s amazing how many people (Rs) attack the President; while putting their eggs into Romney’s empty agenda basket; and then go cash in their food stamps and welfare checks which were signed by a Democrat; believing all the while that the GOP cares about them; that is unless they are millionaires.
I believe that CNN has become the ticker for dissatisfied GOP Millionaire voters!
@SuperD
"trickle up poverty"? Are you kidding me!!?
Corporations have made record profits in the past year!
Taxes are at their lowest in over half a century!
The government work force has been reduced by over 600,000 people!
Government spending has finally flattened out (it had been steadily increasing by leaps and bounds under G.W. Bush)!
The government, under Pres. Obama, saved our automotive indiustry and millions of jobs to go with it!
Their have been 4.3 million private sector jobs created since Pres. Obama came into office!
Talk about CLUELESS!!!!!
The good thing about last night's results is that the Dems took a slight majority in the Senate so Walker will have a tough time getting anything passed until the November election. So, Mitt and the GOP can brag all they want about this recall election but they did NOT win all the Senate seats that were recalled. As far as the outrageous amount of money spent on the election, can anyone of these Walker/Mitt supporters tell us why they don't find it absolutely offensive that these same contributors don't have enough money to pay higher taxes but sure can come up with the $$$ to elect someone that will assure them lower tax rates...does it make sense to you?
This reaffirms the idea that Mr. Romney is in favor of the PACs and their huge push to elect Republicans in Nov. The PACs
have a tremendous budget for advertising and no one can stop them. Perhaps Mr. Romney believes that he cannot win without the PACs;
As voters we need to say enough and force the candidates to do all the talking. These ads want us to tell a candidate to stop doing something...........They are all over the air waves. This large infusion of money will make a mockery of American elections.
SuperD,
According to exit interviews of people who voted in yesterday's recall election, 60% of the voters said that a governor should not be recalled unless there is official misconduct. In other words, if Barrett were the governor he would have beaten Walker. The recall election means diddly-squat when it comes to national implications. The same voters who voted to keep Walker also said that they would vote for Obama over Romney, 51% to 44%.
To all you right-wing radical extremist fundamentalists who support the domestic terrorist GOP, stop using all public (union) services immediately. Stay off our roads, don't call for help from police, firefighters, or EMTs. Keep your spawn out of our schools, do not fly out of our airports or take trains from our depots. Keep out of all state beaches, parks, and federal parks, stay out of libraries (no biggie, since you don't even know what those are). Deal with your own sewage and garbage (or keep it stored in your mouths as usual), don't purchase any goods from any unionized public industry, remove yourselves from Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, renounce your 40hr work week, paid holidays and paid vacation, and time and a half overtime (ALL MADE POSSIBLE by UNIONS), and then join the Amish. Because if you aren't going to live without these items, somebody may label you something nasty, like a 'Liberal', or maybe even a 'Socialist', or, you can remain the ignorant hypocrites you are while re-thinking your positions on unions.
Labor bosses cause government debt? Yeh sure, and the moon is made of green cheese too.
I guess people will be happy when we are all working for minimum wage but the CEO's are still making top dollar. Oh well, it's their state and they will see. So many people voting against their own self interest.
OBAMA 2012!
So when Lib's lie about the results they have achieved, we are to vote for them?
That's your logic.
A democracy is 'Government of the people, by the people, and for the people'. The people have spoken. Apparently Dems have a problem with Democracy. Ironic, isn't it?
Romney is going to win Wisconsin. There is no way that Walker could win by such a large margin, and then these same voters support Obama!! No way!! Wisconsin voters are intentionally telling lies to the media/pollsters--which is why Walker ended up winning by such a large margin-instead of the neck-to-neck results that most media was reporting would be the final outcome for the recall. After yesterday's vote-it is obvious that these voters are intentionally making Obama "think" that he has a strong lead in the state. Romney is also going to win North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Florida, and Indiana. Romney's team said that they are going to begin campaigning in PA as well. PA is a very large coal producing state. I am quite sure that PA voters will want to hear about Obama's attacks/attempts to destroy the coal industry--and Romney and the superpac ads will take care of that. Plus, Romney's Team needs to make Obama spend money trying to defend every state!!
@stranger in an increasingly strange land
You do realize that the only money that Walker is saving is tax payer money. He has not touched any private industry only government employees. The only place that the money is going is back to the people of Wisconsin.
Awwww......Poor liberals.....According to them......Big money should only be allowed to sway/win elections-if they are supporting Obama and the Democrats!!! And, the unions in Wisconsin-and across the country as well--are going to be VERY angry at Obama/Democrats for not giving them more money/resources to fight against this recall. Obama will NOT have strong union involvement/support for this election. The next big thump that you will hear that will decrease the chances of Obama winning-is when the Supreme Court Justices rule against Obamacare and also rule that Arizona has every right to enforce the immigration laws in their state!! These rulings will cause Obama's campaign to implode!!
Finally, the tax payers get it. Our jobs have gone overseas because, unions have driven them off shore...we are no longer competitive because the unions have a blank check and it needs to stop.
LIP – Wow, someone tipped over a dumpster, and all you right-wingers come scurrying out from under it. Actually, it is greedy CEOs (like Romney) and greedy shareholders (like Romney) that have driven jobs overseas. But why let facts get in the way of your Fox-inspired delusion?
@lip. unions have not driven companies offshore; tax incentives to do so have. while i believe that in some instances, union people are overpaid, it is not always true and should not be generalized. unions are a necessary evil; they need to update their philosophy but they need to exist. we all benefit from it. every company in this country would turn into a sweat shop if left unchecked. if another nickel of profit can be realized at anyone's expense, companies will do so.
Scott Walker and his $400 million dollar Koch Bro sugar daddies bought the recall.
This is what plutocracy looks like.
And Myth Robme can't get enough of it.
Disgusting.
Laugh it up unhinged wingnuts. August comes quickly.