Wisconsin Democrats Claim Victory in State Senate June 6, 2012, 8:49 am WAUKESHA, Wis. - After being soundly defeated in their fight to recall Gov. Scott Walker from office, Democrats in Wisconsin on Wednesday were claiming a smaller victory - control, at least for now, of the State Senate. In addition to the effort to remove Mr. Walker and his lieutenant governor, Democrats, union supporters and others had gathered signatures to remove four Republican state senators in hopes of capturing control of that chamber, the place where Wisconsin's battle over limits to collective bargaining had been most pronounced a year ago. In balloting on Tuesday, Republicans, including Scott Fitzgerald, the Senate's majority leader, held onto to three of the seats (including one where the recalled senator stepped down, but a new Republican assumed her place on the ballot), leaving the chamber divided evenly, 16 Republicans to 16 Democrats. But vote counting stretched on through the night on a fourth seat, in Racine, and by Wednesday morning, an unofficial count showed the Democratic candidate, John Lehman, ahead by fewer than 800 votes of Senator Van Wanggaard, the Republican incumbent. Democrats declared Mr. Lehman the winner, saying that gives them a 17-to-16 majority in the Senate, which would make it the only chamber in Madison that Democrats control. But a recount also seemed conceivable, and Mr. Wanggaard had not conceded by morning. Under state law, a losing candidate may request a recount, though who pays for it depends on the size of the margin between the candidates. If Democrats ultimately succeed in winning control of the chamber, even some among them have acknowledged that the victory may be more symbolic than anything. The Legislature is not scheduled to meet before November, when regular elections are scheduled for about half of the Senate seats, using new state district boundaries favored by Republicans.