Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election, 2012

Description

The 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was a recall election to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. It resulted in voters reelecting incumbent Republican Governor Scott Walker. The recall election was a rematch of the 2010 gubernatorial election between the incumbent Governor Scott Walker and Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee. Many Democrats opposed Walker's agenda to end collective bargaining rights for state employees and they collected over 900,000 signatures to initiate the recall election process. There was also a recall for Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. She won her race defeating Democrat Mahlon Mitchell making her the first lieutenant governor to have and survive a recall. The Democratic primary took place on May 8. The recall election was held June 5 with Walker defeating Barrett. Walker is thus the first U.S. governor to continue in office after facing a recall election. Four state senate recall elections took place the same day as the gubernatorial recall elections, resulting in two wins by Republican incumbents, one open seat win by a Republican, and one win by a Democratic challenger, giving Democrats control of the state Senate. (via Freebase)