Milwaukee Democrats resoundingly rejected race baiting, school vouchers, talk-radio party-liners and do-nothings in yesterday's primaries. <br /><br />Down the line, all of the Democrats who won were more progressive than their opponents. And they won resoundingly:<br /><br /> <ul> <li>AD 7: Dan Riemer beat Peggy Krusick, 67% to 33%</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 8: JoCasta Zamarripa beat Laura Manriquez, 67% to 33%</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 9: Josh Zepnick beat Jose Guzman, 66% to 34%</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 10: Sandy Pasch beat Millie Coby and others, 61% to 33%, etc.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 11: Mandela Barnes beat Jason Fields, 68% to 32%</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 12: Fred Kessler beat Mario Hall, 72% to 28%</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 17: La Tonya Johnson beat Fred Royal and others, 43% to 23%, etc.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AD 18: Evan Goyke beat Jarett Fields and others, 37% to 18%, etc.</li> </ul><br />In Senate District 6, <strong>Nikiya Harris beat Beth Coggs</strong> and others, 48% to 33%, etc.<br /><br />What to make of this?<br /><br /><strong>Conservatives voted in the Republican primary</strong>, leaving the Democratic primary races to solidly Democratic voters. In this way, conservative Democrats like Jason Fields lost their base, much like Jeff Plale lost his Democratic primary against now-Sen. Chris Larson, the more progressive candidate, when Republicans and conservatives voted in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary.<br /><br />The <strong>race-baiting statements backfired on Beth Coggs, Millie Coby and, indirectly, Lena Taylor and Polly Williams</strong>. The voters pushed back against this low-road strategy, thankfully.<br /><br />The GOP redistricting plan may have added more Republican-leaning legislative districts in the county and around the state, but it also created <strong>opportunities on Democratic turf for progressive candidates to beat Democratic incumbents who vote with Republicans</strong>. See the Riemer-Krusick race for proof. <br /><strong><br />Out-of-state school voucher money still won't buy you a Democratic elected official</strong>although it may buy you a candidate. Those who were beneficiaries of Americans Federation for Children moneyCoggs, both Fields brothers, Tracey Dent and Millie Cobyall lost their elections. The voucher folks will likely make even more inroads in a Republican-dominated capitol, but their Democratic supporters (Coggs and Fields) won't be there to help them out. Oh well<strong>I guess they've still got Lena Taylor</strong>.<br /><br /><strong>The Coggs family and Lena Taylor couldn't deliver</strong>. Again, the race-baiting didn't help. Nobody wants to be associated with that garbage. But supporting Republican interests while running as a Democrat is the kiss of death. Taylor's attempt to be a king- and queen-maker and create a political machine blew up in her face. Any candidates recruited by her in the future should take note of that. And Taylor should reconsider her strategy if she wants to run for statewide office, as I've heard she does.<br /><br />What's worrisome? Well, turnout. Obviously, Republicans were energized by the four-way race for U.S. Senate. But <strong>turnout in some of the Democratic primaries was just pathetic</strong>. JoCasta Zamarripa won with just 596 votes out of 892 votes cast. Zepnick won with 776 votes out of 1,183 votes cast. Neither one of these representatives has opposition in the fall, which means that they will take office with less than 1,000 voters supporting them. Now, take a look at a Republican Assembly race: Rob Hutton won in AD 13 with 5,349 votes out of 9,271 votes cast. I know the GOP Senate primary bumped up Republican participation and it's difficult to make predictions about general election turnout based on primary election turnout, but, really, <strong>Democrats: get your folks to the polls.</strong> <br /><br /><br /><br />
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