Armageddon In Wisconsin

The Koch brothers and Big Labor. The tea party and progressives. Teachers, gun owners, environmentalists, abortion-rights advocates, conservative billionaires, the national parties — name the interest group or outside party and chances are they’ve played a role in the June 5 recall campaign against Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker.

Whether it’s the casino mogul who financed Newt Gingrich’s super PAC, the billionaire who bankrolled the Swift Boats ad campaign against John Kerry or President Barack Obama’s reelection arm, in one way or another, everybody who is anybody is involved in what’s become one of the biggest political spectacles in decades.

And now it’s come down to a 4-week mad dash to determine not only the Wisconsin governorship but who occupies the commanding heights in the 2012 election.

“Never before have we seen the floodgate of the money of the few trying to affect the outcome for the many as we do now,” said Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. “I suppose Wisconsin is a microcosm of that larger national battle in a sense.”

Tuesday’s Democratic primary escalated the fight by finally giving Walker a clear opponent — and conservatives a clear target — after Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett handily defeated his opponent, Kathleen Falk.

Read More at Politico. By Robert Bravender and Charles Mahtesian.