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MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s successful battle to keep his job during this week’s Wisconsin recall election got a lift from an unexpected quarter — voters from union households.
And Republicans nationally took heart yesterday from the labor support, with exit polls from Tuesday’s recall election showing that 38 percent of Walker’s voters came from homes that include union members.
“The union members, they’ll support us,” said presidential candidate Mitt Romney during a campaign stop in Texas. “Without the union members who support our campaign and support conservative principles — we wouldn’t have Scott Walker win in Wisconsin if that weren’t the case.”
Walker’s labor vote was a surprise for the first-term incumbent, given the outcry over his policies that wiped out collective-bargaining rights and automatic dues collection for public-employee unions. And that chunk of the union vote contributed to his comfortable 7 point win, 53-46, over Democrat Tom Barrett.
Tom Fabitz, 66, a retired machinist and member of the United Steel Workers Union, said he voted for Walker because he brought taxes and spending under control. “Walker is saving the state money. You have to trim the fat someplace,” said Fabitz, a Marine vet and football fanatic.
Walker’s policies didn’t affect all government workers. Unions representing cops and firefighters — who tend to be more conservative than other public employees — were exempt from the changes. Critics said it was a strategic divide-and-conquer tactic employed by Walker.
Indeed, Milwaukee’s police and firefighter unions endorsed Walker over his Democratic opponent Tom Barrett, their hometown mayor.
Dean Gonzalez, vice president of the local firefighters union, said he took a beating from labor activists for backing Walker — but he’s glad that he did.
“We back Republicans. We go back and forth. We’re happy for him. Walker is willing to listen to us,” Gonzalez said.
And many members of private-sector unions — such as construction trade workers like Fabitz who are more sensitive to economic trends and taxes — don’t always see eye-to-eye with more liberal-minded public employees.
“The union vote is not homogenous in Wisconsin or elsewhere. And there’s been significant GOP votes there in recent elections,” said Charles Franklin, Marquette Law School’s polling director.
Union households accounted for one-third of the total Wisconsin vote on Tuesday, up from 26 percent in 2010.
“The unions will have to do some soul searching on how they fit into the Wisconsin political landscape,” said former Madison Mayor David Cieslewicz, a University of Wisconsin poli-sci professor.