WAUKESHA, Wisc. (FOX 32 News) -
The polls have closed in Wisconsin's recall vote for GOP Gov. Scott Walker, and Fox News has declared that Walker has won the race.
Fox News exit polls show the race was extremely tight, but that Scott Walker has won with a 60-40 lead.
The recall movement started with raucous rallies in Madison 16 months ago, ended today in polling places across the state of Wisconsin.
Voters turned out in large numbers, to decide whether to recall Gov. Scott Walker and replace him with Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett. As reflected by the thousands of yard signs dotting the landscape here, most voters made up their minds long ago.
I voted for walker. There was a problem. He said what had to be done to fix that problem and he fixed it," voter Bob Walerstein said.
Voter Charlotte Esposito had a different opinion.
"Barrett, because I believe that Walker came in with an agenda that he didn't let us know beforehand," Esposito said.
Turnout was the critical question. Mayor Barrett needed huge numbers in Milwaukee County, Gov. Walker in the suburbs and rural areas. In Mequon, a suburb north of Milwaukee, election inspector Sheryl Campbell said turnout was looking huge.
"It's been tremendous. People outside waiting for breakfast actually, when we got here this morning at quarter to seven. We've had a steady line all day so far," Campbell said.
The Walker supporters enthusiastically defended his budget cuts and taking on unions over collective bargaining rights.
"I really think that a little bit less government is going to make it stronger for my grandchildren," Walker supporter Patricia Harrison said.
Barrett's supporters respond that Gov. Walker has unfairly stripped blue collar workers of long treasured rights, while doing little to create jobs.
