Wisconsin Republicans maintained control of the state Senate over the summer, although two successful recalls of GOP senators narrowed their majority to one vote.
With nine senators up for recall, three of them Democrats and six Republicans, Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to end the Republican majority. But four Republicans survived recall attempts, threatening the GOP advantage but failing to flip the Senate in the Democrats' favor.
After two Democratic challengers unseated their Republican opponents in the Aug. 9 recall of all six Republicans, attention that night turned to the race between State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and state Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay, as the potential third seat to change. But Darling was eventually declared the winner after midnight with roughly 54 percent of the vote, defeating Pasch and ensuring Democrats would not be able to take control of the state Senate through the recall effort.
Democrats had hoped to use momentum from protests over Gov. Scott Walker's collective bargaining legislation to carry them into the Senate majority.
The three Democrats facing recalls over the decision to leave the state and delay a vote on the collective bargaining bill fended off their Republican challengers.
State Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, beat incumbent state Sen. Dan Kapanke, R-La Crosse, with 55 percent of the vote. The district is the most Democratic of the six that held recall elections Tuesday.
In addition to Shilling's victory, Democrat Jessica King, former deputy mayor of Oshkosh, won against incumbent state Sen. Randy Hopper, R- Fond Du Lac, with 51 percent of the vote. Hopper, who had dealt with publicized personal troubles, also was favored to lose.
However, even with two Democratic gains, the four remaining Republican senators were able to successfully fend off their challengers.
State Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, beat challenger state Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo with 52 percent of the vote.
Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, and Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, also held onto their seats.
Democratic senators, Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, and Jim Holperin, D-Conover, faced recall elections Aug. 16 and survived, while Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay held onto his seat in a July election.
