Jason Stein, Journal Sentinel (Madison) – Voters dealt a blow to the nation’s public-sector unions Tuesday in the state that first granted them broad bargaining power more than a half-century ago.

In the first recall in U.S. history in which an incumbent governor retained office, Wisconsin chose to keep Gov. Scott Walker, who sparked the recall by eliminating most collective bargaining for most public employees, as well as their ability to collect dues through payroll deductions. In a race that confirmed his status as a national celebrity for Republicans, Walker even slightly increased his 2010 margin of victory.

But Democrats and unions did appear to have one consolation prize – a narrow win in a Racine Senate district that would give them control of the state Senate at least until November.

But even with control of the Senate and state government divided, public unions still have no real prospect for recovering what they lost, with neither the money nor manpower they had when Walker rose to office.

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