The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the election recount requested by JoAnne Kloppenburg appears increasingly unlikely to alter the outcome of her race against Justice David Prosser.
With the recount in the April 5 Supreme Court race now complete in every county but Waukesha, JoAnne Kloppenburg has sliced a mere 355 votes off Justice David Prosser’s lead of 7,316 votes, underscoring the extreme odds against Kloppenburg emerging victorious in the fiercely contested judicial contest.
In effect, Kloppenburg would have to gain 6,962 votes in one county – Waukesha – after gaining a tiny fraction of that in the recount of all the state’s other counties.
Yet the Kloppenburg camp is unwilling to concede, citing “significant anomalies” in Waukesha county. The Journal-Sentinel, which previously editorialized against the recount, thinks enough is enough. It editorialized today:
So was it worth it? Probably not. As it appeared from the beginning, it appears even more so now that nothing will change in the election for state Supreme Court. . . .
Kloppenburg had every right to request the recount, but given the cost and the political fallout, it would have been better had she graciously accepted the loss. And — although again she has every right to do so — it would be better if she didn’t challenge the outcome in court, which it appears she will do. In fact, it appears the recount was mere preamble to the court challenge. This is no way to run an election.