Wisconsin... Microcosm?

Despite a barrage of right-wing money and a relentless robo-call campaign from Republican operatives in Virginia urging Democrats not to vote yesterday and despite Republicans claiming the polls would close early and all their normal voter discouragement schemes, all six Democrats beat the shill candidates the GOP put up against them in the primaries yesterday... by landslides. Despite the tremendous sums of money fascist interests like the Kochs poured into the races, grassroots efforts by ordinary working people pretty much matched or even beat the right-wing onslaught.

Democrat Nancy Nusbaum trounced Republican Otto Junkermann 65-35 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Robert Cowles.

Democrat Sandy Pasch beat Republican Gladys Huber 67-33 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Alberta Darling, the self-professed Paul Ryan wanna be.

Democrat Shelly Moore beat Republican Issac Weix 54-46 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Sheila Harsdorf.

Democrat Fred Clarke beat Republican Rol Church 67-33 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Luther Olsen.

Democrat Jennifer Shilling routed Republican James Smith 71-29 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Dan Kapanke, the incumbent most likely to lose next month. The last poll showed Kapanke trailing by 14 points.

Democrat Jessica King beat Republican John Buckstaff 69-31 and will now face off against recalled state Senator Randy Hopper, a notorious tax cheat (and "family values" adulterer). Take a look at the Hopper ad up top. It's the inspiration for the microcosm idea in the title.

What Scott Walker and his zombies are doing to Wisconsin is exactly what the GOP plans for all of us across the country. Late last night, before the national media was declaring the Republican dirty tricks had backfired and blown up in their faces, I spoke to a jubilant Chris Larson, one of the Democratic state senators who's been out front leading the efforts to stymie Walker's anti-family agenda. "Today," he told me, "was just a distraction by the Republicans in the hope that citizens wouldn't hold them accountable for turning their backs on the middle class. But we've proven that we're more determined than ever to restore the balance in our state. Wisconsin continues to stand up for what's right and we're asking the nation to stand with us on August 9th."

August 9th is the day of the actual general elections and the small contributions from grassroots donors everywhere is what helped the six progressives win yesterday. Please, even if it's just $5 or $10, dig deep one more time for a state fighting for it's life-- and ours.