Earlier this year, Wisconsin Republican Sens. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) and Randy Hopper (R-Empire) were both defeated by their Democratic challengers, Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) and Democrat Jessica King of Oshkosh.
While the GOP maintained their dominance in Wisconsin, the effective recall and election of Democratic candidates in the Wisconsin Senate, show that not only can voters hold politicians accountable for their actions, voters can make a statement.
Tuesday November 8, 2011, proves to be just as important in two other Great Lakes states, Michigan and Ohio.
Did Ohio Republicans go too far in passing a law that stripped public employees of their bargaining rights? Voters will decide through a referendum on the ballot Tuesday, the culmination of a high-pitched fight that could overturn Senate Bill 5, the controversial collective bargaining law signed by Gov. John Kasich this spring.
That may just be the question of the year. Did the Republicans go too far? Or will Democrats stay home, as they did in 2010? Will this give us any clues for 2012?