WAUSAU (WAOW) -
Wisconsin helped re-elect Barack Obama last
night, as the state voted democratic for the 7th presidential election in a
row. The president won 53 percent of the vote in our state.
But republicans still control most
of state government, after winning the senate back last night.
Our state hasn't voted for a
republican presidential candidate since 1984.
But political experts say there's a
reason why Wisconsin
goes red at the state level, and blue on the federal.
In his victory for a
second term, President Barack Obama won the state of Wisconsin and all ten electoral votes that
come with it.
But if you look at state
government, it's pretty red. Republicans control the governor's office and the
assembly, and they just re-captured the state senate.
"We're not
necessarily that polarized, we're just divided on which specific candidates we
want to support," UWSP Political Science Professor John Blakeman said.
Blakeman says voters are
picking candidates less on party lines, and more on the issues.
"You'll have voters
in any given state vote one party for the president and one party for the
governor," Blakeman told Newsline 9.
In June, most counties
in Wisconsin
went red, voting for Governor Scott walker in the recall election. But for the
presidential race, it was a much different picture.
"At the state level, the
electorate tends to favor republicans. At the federal level, the electorate
tends to favor democrats," Blakeman said.
UW-Stevens Point student
Matt McMahon says for him, it's not about red or blue.
"I vote for the best
candidate I feel is going to be the best for the job. Not for certain parties,"
McMahon said.
And political experts
say it's easy to understand why voters may favor one party over another in
different races.
"At the state
level, they realize what state issues are at stake and which party may be
better with dealing with that," Blakeman said.
And now -- republicans
added state senate control to go along with the state assembly and governor's
office.
But for president --
that went to the democrats, as our politically complicated state continues to
attract a lot of attention.
Democrats still control
the state senate. But that will change in January when the new session begins.
