Gov. Walker wins second term in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker kept his hopes alive for a possible 2016 GOP presidential bid with a victory on Tuesday.

The 47-year-old won a second term, defeating Democrat Mary Burke, a school board member from Madison, with a 55 percent to 43 percent lead after more than half the votes had been tallied. 

During his first term, Walker battled organized labor, eliminating most collective-bargaining rights for government employees, and survived a recall vote. 

Labor groups have kept a close eye on this race and his aspirations for higher office, and spent big to unseat the incumbent.

“Scott Walker has sinisterly shown us the reality of how money pollutes politics,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a statement.

“Everybody knows Scott Walker does not share Wisconsin’s values and cares more about his own political ambition,” he added. “But working people will be there every day to remind him of it should he continue his failed, divisive agenda.”

Burke, 55, argued that Walker’s policies were pushing the state too far to the right and, in turn, hurting working families. 

“Mary Burke ran a fantastic campaign and unwaveringly stood by her values that support working people,” Trumka said.

Walker touted his economic record in the state and received help from top Republicans, including Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

Burke, whose father started Wisconsin-based Trek bicycles, got help from President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and former President Clinton to no avail. 

She criticized Walker for refusing to accept federal money to expand Medicaid and highlighted his failure to make good on his promise to create 250,000 jobs in his first term.