Panic in Wisconsin: Walker Up Nine, Democrats Feeling Abandoned

First, the poll. I don’t know much about the outfit, but it’s a right-leaner and the result looks very good for Gov. Walker. The We Ask America poll puts Walker up 52% to 43% over Tom Barrett. A poll last week also had Walker up, by about five.

The Wisconsin Democrats know that they have a tough battle ahead of them. Republicans nationally are galvanized to keep Walker where he is, for many reasons: The recall for fulfilling his campaign promises is ridiculous; Walker deserves to fulfill his term and run again in a normal schedule; the unions’ behavior throughout Walker’s tenure has been selfishly over the top to the point that they deserve humiliation; a victory for Walker over Big Labor strengthens the hands of reformers elsewhere and bodes well for bringing some sanity back to local and state budgets. Republicans stand ready to help Walker win, but Wisconsin Democrats are in a panic as the national party stands on the sidelines:

Top Wisconsin Democrats are furious with the national party — and the Democratic National Committee in particular — for refusing their request for a major investment in the battle to recall Scott Walker, I’m told.

The failure to put up the money Wisconsin Dems need to execute their recall plan comes at a time when the national Republican Party is sinking big money into defending Walker, raising fears that the DNC’s reluctance could help tip the race his way.

“We are frustrated by the lack of support from the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Governors Association,” a top Wisconsin Democratic Party official tells me. “Scott Walker has the full support and backing of the Republican Party and all its tentacles. We are not getting similar support.”

This plus Obama’s new/old stand on gay marriage, which was driven in part by donors withholding donations from the president’s campaign, suggest that the Democrats are husbanding every penny for the fall campaign. And, the DNC may see Barrett’s loss to Walker in 2010 as strong evidence that he will lose to Walker again.