Typical Sleezy Republican Tactics in Wisconsin Recall Elections

Does this mean that candidates don't have to be listed on the ballot as being for the party they represent? This seems strange to me, as we do not use the primary system but just have a direct election.

This means that a "fake" candidate who is actually Republican can run as a Democrat. Since the primary is considered open, even if you are a registered Republican you can still vote in the Democratic primary. Since the Democrats aren't pulling the same trick, there are only two elections... one primary and one general election. If the Democratic party were to do the same thing, there would have been two primaries and one general election.

This is an extremely desperate move by the National and Wisconsin Republican party and a sure sign that they are getting ready to lose. Currently, there are going to be nine recall elections in the next several weeks. All for state Senators: Three Democrats and six Republicans. If the Democratic party can cause a three seat swing, they will recapture the Senate and bring some balance to the current goverment, which is controlled completely by Republicans: Governor, Assembly (House), Senate, and Supreme Court.

Yes, Supreme Court is in that list, because the most recent elections have been completely partisan and the elected justices are real idealogues and not even slightly impartial.

Why do the Dems allow a Repub to run in their primary? I thought both parties ran a primary to choose the main candidate for the general election, or is that just in Presidential elections?
I have never understood how Joe Public can run for judge without legal training. Judges should be appointed on their merits without politics playing a part. Thank Dog our governors are apolitical.

DS,

Anyone can run as long as they have enough signatures to gain access to whatever party's primary ballot. Republicans got enough signatures to get their "fake" candidate onto the Democrat ballot, thus forcing a primary election.

If the Dems at all felt desperate, they would have done the same thing to the Republicans.

Its the prank equivalent of burning a bag of poo on your neighbors doorstoop. It is highly ineffective, desparate, but one out one-hundred will fall for it and get a shoe full o poo.

This is easy enough to counteract. Primary voting is a recent development. For the majority of party history, candidates were chosen by party brass. If the Democrats are concerned enough, they can just appoint their candidates for the actual election.

Thankyou for explaining this. We just have appointed candidates here. The "primary" is done in-house by the party concerned. Anyone else can run as long as they pay a small deposit to the electoral commission (government department) that they get back if they get enough of the vote. It is not unusual to have six or more candidates for each seat, half of them independants with their own agenda.