"Winning Connections played an integral part in our successful senate recall elections. They were a key partner from day one, crafting effective messages to persuade undecided voters and mobilize our supporters on Election Day."
- Mike Tate, Chair Wisconsin Democratic party
In early 2011, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker proposed major restrictions to the bargaining rights of public sector workers. Viewed as an unfair attack on labor unions and a detriment to the bargaining power of already struggling teachers, firefighters, and policemen, this legislation provoked massive and lasting protests across the entire state. Republican State Senators who supported this attack on labor faced immediate recall elections, and Winning Connections was recruited to reach out to concerned Wisconsin voters.
Winning Connections worked with the Wisconsin Democratic Party to call voters in the Senate districts where incumbents were facing recall elections from Democratic challengers. We informed voters of the recall in their district, determined their likelihood of voting, and identified their preferences for either the incumbent or the challenger. The data we collected and analyzed provided the Wisconsin Democratic Party with the information needed to determine in which districts to focus their canvasing and voter outreach, ensuring their resources were wisely allocated. Winning Connections followed up with targeted voters, delivering strategically crafted GOTV and persuasion messages.
After months of heated debates and campaigning, Democratic State Senators retained all three of their challenged seats, while Republicans lost two of their six challenged seats. This was only the 4th time in State politics in which multiple state senators were recalled at the same time over the same issue. Riding the success of these victories, Winning Connections looks forward to working with our partners in Wisconsin to recall Governor Walker.