Wis. top court election adds fuel to 'powder keg'

By Andy Manis, AP

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg declared victory Wednesday with a 204-vote margin.

EnlargeCloseBy Andy Manis, AP

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg declared victory Wednesday with a 204-vote margin.

Lake Mills, population 2,070, was the last precinct to report results of Tuesday's election for state Supreme Court justice between Justice David Prosser and challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg. When those ballots were finally counted, Kloppenburg led by an unofficial margin of just 204 votes out of more than 1.4 million ballots cast.

Kloppenburg claimed victory, but her paper-thin victory could be erased by a recount, so the ultimate winner may not be known for weeks, or longer. Prosser did not immediately request a recount but has until April 20 to do so.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker downplayed the significance of the election, saying it was skewed by exceptional turnout in the liberal cities of Madison and Milwaukee.

Democrats warned the results were only a sign of what's to come. Recall efforts have been launched against 16 state senators from both parties for their support or opposition to the bill eliminating most public employees' collective bargaining rights.

"We are sitting on a political powder keg in Wisconsin, and I don't see it becoming any less explosive soon," said Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a government watchdog group.

McCabe said many people assumed Prosser would have an easy victory after the 13-year incumbent won a four-way primary Feb. 15 by about a 30-point margin.

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