In Wisconsin, Dem Establishment Getting Behind Barrett

In Wisconsin, Dem Establishment Getting Behind Barrett:
Retiring Sen. Herb Kohl is picking sides in Wisconsin's divisive Democratic gubernatorial recall primary. The senior senator announced his support for Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on Wednesday.

"While I wouldn't ordinarily endorse in a primary, this is no ordinary race or time. Tom's decision to run speaks volumes about who Tom is -- a strong leader known around the state as someone who will work with everyone to help bring Wisconsinites together and move our state forward again. Tom and I have worked together for years, and his commitment to the people he represents is as strong as his many accomplishments," Kohl said in a statement.

Endorsements are often over-hyped, but this one's worth noting. Kohl is a household name in the state (he owns the Milwaukee Bucks and is the namesake of the Kohl's chain) and as a sitting senator, remains an influential voice. Voters in Wisconsin know who he is and if he's out there stumping with Barrett, it'll matter. In the lead-up to the recall campaign, many strategists and observers believed that if Kohl entered the race, he'd clear the field and be favored to defeat Walker.

Since entering the race, Barrett has been building a coalition of current and former members of Congress -- most notably former Rep. David Obey and has also been reaching out to the left. His biggest obstacle is organized labor, which is backing his opponent, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.