Milwaukee County Executive elections: Ryan lost his own community in early returns Tuesday

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | 30 April 2002 | Meg Jones and various

[July 4th]

Ryan lost his own community in early returns Tuesday

Hales Corners Village President Jim Ryan lost his own community as early returns Tuesday night showed Scott Walker leading in the race for Milwaukee County Executive.

Ryan lost Hales Corners by a margin of 50 votes with 47% of eligible voters in the community turning up to vote.

Early results showed Walker, a Republican member of the State Assembly from Wauwatosa, with a nearly 300-vote edge over Ryan. As of 8:30 p.m. River Hills, West Milwaukee and Hales Corners all went for Walker.

With 10 of 463 precincts reporting, Walker had 2,736 votes, or 54%, while Ryan had 2,362, or 46%, according to unofficial returns.

Voter turnout appeared to be at least as strong as in the primary and probably heavier, according to election officials.

Walker and Ryan are vying to replace F. Thomas Ament, who resigned in February amid public outrage over generous pension changes proposed by his administration and approved by the County Board.

The election has been a rapid-fire event - eight weeks from registration to runoff. Walker and Ryan emerged as the top finishers April 2, after a six-person primary that featured 14 major forums. Since then, the two have squared off at least 28 more times, an average of one a day. Though attendance waned at some of the final forums, in the past two months several thousand voters have seen the candidates side by side in person.

On April 2, more than 139,000 people voted, with turnout in Milwaukee at 22%. In the suburbs, turnout was between 30% and 40%. That day, however, there were other races on the ballot that helped draw voters to the polls.

Turnout Tuesday was one measure of the public's interest in county government and the changes that are taking place. Like the executive's race today, upcoming recall votes against county supervisors will take place on days when no other election is on the ballot.

Barring a recount, the new executive likely will be sworn in May 9 or 10, county officials said.

------------------LATEST--------------------

Milwaukee County Executive
REPORTING 86%
Scott WALKER - 96,734 - 58%
Jim RYAN - 71,444 - 42%

[Dan from Michigan]

Milwaukee County? That is unbelievable. Almost like a GOP'er winning in Genesee(Flint) or maybe even Wayne County(Detroit and suburbs) here in Michigan.

Well, Wayne is pushing it. 69% for Gore there.

[July 4th]

Nice job Milwaukee! This is going to be over 180,000 voters with a 35% turnout for a single seat election.

[republicandiva]

Happy Day for Milwaukee County! Can't wait to hear Mark (couldn't get a political prediction right if it bit him in the a$$) backtracking...Tomorrow I will listen to hear him eat crow!

[republicandiva]

Have you been watching the newscasts - just caught a glimpse of the goons on channel 4 - they looked they were at a funeral - I love it!

[WIMom]

Diva, he'll probably not even talk about it, but focus on the Brewers or the Wave or horses or airplane travel.

[WIMom]

I've been listening, it's like 1994 and the Republicans winning, the press is soooo trying to be 'reporters' and not let their bias show. It's better than cartoons. Did you here Ryan's consession speech? In the typical liberal fashion, he said nothing.

[republicandiva]

I've just surfed all the channels - they're just scrolling results on the bottom...if Ryan had won - they'd have every available camera and reporter there...we'd probably even be getting shots of his nosehair! LOL

Only downside to this...Walker was THE MAIN proponent of voter i.d. in the Assembly, but I'm hoping as County Exec he'll be able to clean up the election process in Milwaukee...that could make a big difference in upcoming elections.

[the crow]

How SWEET it is! heh heh heh. Might have to stick around in this town for a while just to shake things up.

[BraveMan]

Change is in the wind, WIMom. We're just getting started here. Better get used to reading more negative spin from the media shills . . .

[WIMom]

EWWWW! You are so right. LOL!

I'm surprised they didn't try any late reporting tricks. Hmmmm. I wonder were Jesse Jackson was?

[WIMom]

I hope so! This is some of the best news we've had in WI in a long time. So many congratulations are needed for the recall team and all the effort they put in! First Milwaukee, next Madison!!!!!

[republicandiva]

Great job crow, congrats! When you wake up tomorrow, or maybe next week, you'll realize the magnitude of what you guys have accomplished in Milwaukee!

[Jean S]

I wonder what the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal editorial board is thinking right now.

[republicandiva]

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal editorial board is thinking

Didn't know they did that! LOL

[cpprfld]

I'll bet the county board members are shaking in their boots right now!

It has been a good day, I read this morning that Karen Oredian (sp?)my county
board member is getting recalled.

[Faraday]

The electrical pulses bouncing around the neurons in the brain stems (no higher cortical functions here) of the Urinal's editors and columnists are: People no listen to us no more! Sqwuak radio too important now. Boo Hoo.

[ozaukeemom]

I saw the same even on channel 6. All the focus was on Ryan. Even the woman interviewing in the Walker camp,
said Ryan instead of Walker! Shows the bias way too clearly!

[WIMom]

Isn't she the one who initially stated the board did not have all the details of the pension plan? If so, she should be recalled. It's their job to review the proposals.

[cpprfld]

She was the one who said that the board didn't have enough details about the pension plan. Also,
she is the board president, and the first one to defend the pension plan.