From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker handily defeated challenger Lena Taylor in Tuesday's election, winning another four years at the helm of the financially stressed county government.
Walker, 40, built his campaign around conservative themes of freezing property taxes, firm opposition to raising new taxes and use of privatization to boost efficiency and lower costs of county services.
"I want to make us great again," Walker said at his victory party at State Fair Park. "I want to make this a safe place to live and work and play."
He was first elected county executive in 2002, following the tumult of the county pension scandal.
His win helps position Walker for another Republican run for governor, in 2010 - if he fulfills widely held political speculation. The issues he stressed in his county executive race - crime, as well as taxes and privatization - could easily dovetail with a GOP governor's race template. Walker also ran for governor in 2005 and early 2006, but withdrew over fund-raising problems.
Taylor, 41, conceded around 10:15 p.m. at the Comfort Inn and Suites downtown, where supporters had gathered. She retains her state Senate seat.
"We just ran out of time. If we just had a little more time and a little more money," the result might have been different, Taylor said, becoming tearful while thanking her staff and supporters.
Walker won on promises of giving county residents more of the same from him. He said he'd continue to propose budgets that held the tax levy to the same level as the previous year's, would work to trim county costs through innovation and would stand in the way of a sales tax increase to pay for parks.
...The race heated up a bit in recent weeks, with more than 20 debates and joint appearances in which Walker and Taylor took opposing views on nearly every issue. Taylor portrayed Walker as underfunding parks, social programs and bus service. Taylor argued that she had superior credentials, including a law degree.
Walker easily defeated Taylor.
The people of Milwaukee County voted to hold the line on taxes. The revolution is not dead.
Lessons from the county exec race:
1. Voters don't want the government to take more of their money.
2. Experience and ability and ideas trump diplomas.
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