To establish a majority in the state Senate, Wisconsin Democrats needed to defeat three of the six Republicans challenged in recall elections held Tuesday. They defeated two. A good day but not good enough, arguably because Barack Obama and other national Dem leaders make it hard for voters to distinguish between Dem and Republican philosophies of government.

From FDL:

The consistent message from the national Democratic Party and President Obama is that “this is the era of austerity…” Although [Obama] claimed to favor worker rights, he unilaterally froze federal worker salaries. And then he told the elderly that they needed to accept “adjustments” in their pensions and health care after extending tax breaks for the wealthy… With such a profoundly misguided and destructive message coming from the president and national leaders, it must have been particularly difficult for Wisconsin citizens to explain why voters should recall Republican state senators for taking positions their president and party were embracing in Washington. To be sure, Wisconsin’s Tea-Party Governor [Scott Walker] is a fraud, and his party’s actions have been abusive and excessive in slashing state programs and benefits. But Walker’s budget goals and methods are consistent with those of his national counterparts…