So this means that the Democrats picked up a total of two seats in the recalls, and Republicans will have a 17-16 majority in the State Senate when they return to session. Dale Schultz, the moderate Republican who voted against the anti-union bill that stripped collective bargaining rights, will have a lot of say over what else of Scott Walker’s right-wing agenda gets passed. And the state waits for January 2012, when Walker and the rest of the legislature becomes eligible for recall.

The Wisconsin recall elections actually aren’t over. Because of the timing of some challenges to petition filings, all of the recalls did not happen on the same day. Instead the elections against Republican state Senators were split from the elections against Democratic state Senators.