MADISON, Wis. (AP) — One Wisconsin Senate Democrat has survived a recall and another is leading after early returns in elections targeting the lawmakers for fleeing the state amid debate on a contentious collective bargaining proposal.
Unofficial results in Tuesday’s election show that state Sen. Bob Wirch captured 56 percent of the vote compared with 44 percent for his Republican challenger Jonathan Steitz.
A second recall election Tuesday targeting Democratic incumbent Sen. Jim Holperin was too close to call based on early returns. Holperin had 54 percent of the vote with 45 percent of precincts reporting.
Democrats need to win both races to keep the ground they gained in other recall elections last week. Those left the Senate in Republican control by a narrow 17-16 margin.
