Recall Tracker: Fundraisers, Collective Bargaining and the Twitter Feed

Editor's Note: With two weeks to go before the Aug. 9 recall election in the 8th Senate District, Patch is launching a new feature that will provide a daily recap of what's happening in the race. We'll look at what incumbent Republican Sen. Alberta Darling and Democrat state Rep. Sandy Pasch are doing and saying, as well what others are saying about the hotly contested election.

Where Will They Be?

• Pasch will have a fundraising event Tuesday at the home of Shel and Danni Gendelman, 6000 N. Shore Dr., Whitefish Bay from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will be joined by Milwaukee Mayor Mayor Tom Barrett and his wife, Kris Barrett. 
• Darling has been invited to a fundraising event Tuesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Polish Center of Wisconsin, 6941 S. 68th St., Franklin. Other invited guests include state Sen. Mary Lazich and Leah Vukmir; state Reps. Jeff Stone, Mark Honadel, Dale Kooyenga and Jim Ott; and county supervisors Joe SanFellippo and Joe Rice.

Pasch, Darling's First Debate a Heated One

, with quick defensive comments and direct attacks. Darling continually refused to even address her opponent, only looking at moderator Mike Gousha. Pasch directly went after Darling when she criticized Darling's support of collective bargaining, her measurement of job creation, lack of support for edcuation, and questioned the motives behind recent redistricting.

Darling refuted these critiques by reminding Pasch and viewers that former Gov. Jim Doyle and Pasch's policies failed to balance the budget, schools now have the tools they need to balance their budgets, and that half the jobs created across the country in June were in Wisconsin.

Darling Says She's Being Targeted for Doing Her Job

On Monday, Darling told Ben Merens of Wisconsin Public Radio that she was being targeted for recall for doing what she was elected to do. She expressed concerns that the issues being debated in this election are going beyond the budget repair bill, which supposedly was the reason for the recall.

"People feel like they were let down," Merens said, noting that Gov. Scott Walker didn't talk about clamping down on collective bargaining rights when he was running for governor. 

However, Darling said Walker referred to that when he was talking about "gaining control of government spending."

Pasch Paints a Not-So-Sunny Picture

Merens interviewed Pasch after his interview with Darling.

He jumped right into challenging the recall, asking if this is really the appropriate way to use the recall process.

"Our government allows recalls when people are dissatisfied with the representation that they're getting," Pasch said.

While Darling said that she was being recalled for doing what she was elected to do, Pasch disagrees.

"She's being recalled because she really failed to listen to the people of the 8th Senate District," Pasch said.

You can download and listen to these interviews on the Wisconsin Public Radio site by clicking the green button with the white arrow at the top of this page.

Right Wing Money Pours into Wisconsin Recall Wars

Greg Sargent, who writes The Plum Line for the Washington Post, gives his take on how a large majority of campaign money is breaching the flood gates from the right wing. One Wisconsin Now reports that Club for Growth Wisconsin has donated over $1.5 million into the recall races, with $400,000 going directly to help Darling.

“They see this as Ground Zero in their efforts to take away the rights of working people across this country,” One Wisconsin Now’s Scot Ross is quoted as saying.

The Twitter Feed

@Darling4Senate: I'll be on Wisconsin Public Radio's At Issue with Ben Merens at 4pm. Feel free to call in and ask about the campaign.

@p8riot: The new normal for Wisconsin http://bit.ly/q6FmZp Thank you @govwalker, Senate Republicans, and Reps. @darling4senate @repvos #wiunion #p2

@MarkMaley: Heated town hall meeting in #WhitefishBay. @Darling4Senate and @sandyforsenate both invited but don't show. http://aol.it/r5KIUJ #wirecall

@Milkman57: Go @sandyforsenate ! I've signed up for three more canvasing shifts & will do anything to help you fight for the middle class. #wiunion

@sandyforsenate: Thanks to everyone who helped pack the room @MKEDems meeting.

For more information and continual updates on the Darling and Pasch race, check out these Twitter handles: #recalltracker, #wirecall, #wiunion, #sandyforsenate, #darling4senate, #Mkedems, #mkegop.