Politics: Wisconsin at War

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com.
Politics Wisconsin at War Scott Walker's Republicans are trying to crush liberal dreams just one more time. By David Weigel Posted Monday, Oct 15, 2012, at 10:17 PM ET WAUKESHA, Wis.—Candee Ardnt hands me the oversize button, the one she made herself. An image of Mount Rushmore on a clear day has been altered, with the faces of the presidents replaced by Rep. Paul Ryan, Gov. Scott Walker, former Gov. Tommy Thompson, and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. The text reads Wisconsin GOP: 2012 Rock Stars. She made them for the Republican National Convention, but she unloaded more at yesterday's fundraiser at the Harley Davidson Museum—minimum ticket price $250—with all four of the heroes, raising money for Thompson's current U.S. Senate race. "It was a wonderful event," she says, inside the college gym where Ryan's holding his first Wisconsin event in weeks. "They talked about how Tommy had mentored all of them and helped them into politics. I think he's going to win. And I think we're going to break the streak this year. I think Romney's going to win Wisconsin." Every day since the first presidential debate has felt, for Republicans, like Indian summer. But the thermometer's really been pulsing in Wisconsin. Crushing Democratic dreams have become a semipro sport here, ever since 2010, when the party lost nearly everything on the ballot. Republicans faced down protests over their collective bargaining reforms, and won. Democrats got enough signatures to force a summer 2012 recall election against Gov. Walker. They lost. They even lost a state Supreme Court seat and a state Senate seat when delayed ballots from Waukesha ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Wisconsin at War Her Year of Living Biblically What Does Giant Panda Taste Like?	Advertisement
Manage your newsletters subscription: Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Advertising Information
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to slatenewsletter@nl.slate.com. Copyright 2011 The Slate Group | Privacy Policy The Slate Group | c/o E-mail Customer Care | 1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 410 | Washington, D.C. 20036