Former President Bill Clinton predicted Thursday that Obama’s support in the state would plummet.
Clinton predicted Thursday in an interview with CNN that Obama would win the state by 5 or 6 points in 2012, a healthy margin of victory in what is expected to be a close presidential race. However, that would be a precipitous drop from Obama’s 14-point victory over Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in 2008 and half of Clinton’s margin of victory over Republican Bob Dole in 1996.
Wisconsin soured on the Democratic Party in 2010. Sen. Ron Johnson upset three-term incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold in the U.S. Senate race and Walker beat out Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by 6 points. Walker once again leads Barrett by 7 points heading into Tuesday’s recall vote.
Clinton campaigned with Barrett Friday, appearing onstage at a rally with the mayor.
If he survives the election, Walker will become the first U.S. governor to win a recall election. National Democrats have pumped $1.5 million into the state to help fund union-backed efforts to defeat Walker; however, the party has also downplayed the significance of the vote for fear of inspiring Republican momentum heading into November.
Update: The original version of this story said Clinton made his Wisconsin prediction at a Friday rally, rather than in the Thursday interview. The story has been corrected.
