Wisconsin governor Scott Walker survives bitterly fought recall election Scott Walker became the first governor to avoid being ousted in a recall election. Wisconsin's governor Scott Walker survived a bitterly fought recall election on Tuesday after Republican voters mobilised in huge numbers, propelling him to a victory that will boost Mitt Romney's run for the White House. Television networks called it for the incumbent at 11pm local time after early returns from rural counties gave him an apparently unassailable lead even as voters were still queuing to cast ballots at polling stations in Milwaukee, a Democratic stronghold. It was a devastating defeat for Democrats and union activists who had waged an 18-month campaign to oust Walker over his restrictions on collective bargaining and cutbacks of pension and health benefits of public sector workers. Romney issued a swift statement saying the result would "echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin" by showing Republicans could stand up to "runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses" and demonstrated "what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around." With almost two thirds of precincts reporting, Walker led by 57% to 42% against his challenger, Tom Barrett, according to early returns tabulated by AP. Barrett said he had telephoned Walker to concede the race. The vote was widely seen as a referendum not just on Walker but Tea Party-tinged conservatism. The movement will now claim vindication and try to build on the momentum. A silver lining for President Barack Obama came in the form of exit polls that gave him a 52-43 lead over Romney, suggesting Wisconsin, a swing state which he won in 2008, would remain loyal come November. White House strategists anticipated this outcome by distancing Obama from Wisconsin's toxic battle. He endorsed Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee, but did not campaign in the state for him. The decision dismayed local Democrats but was calculated to not antagonise independent voters who backed Walker. Barrett had lost to Walker in the 2010 gubernatorial race and polls had suggested he would lose again. The only two others to face the same test - in 1921 and 2003 - lost. This united the Tea Party and limited-government conservatives. Others there said their victory showed a "silent majority" of voters had grown sick of the union-led occupations and protests which preceded the election. It was triggered after Democrats collected 1m signatures. We can utilise what we learned here. We utilised social media and technology to grab the hearts of the people of Wisconsin," said Jacobs. Democrats said the lesson was that money - Walker's $32m advertising and campaign blitz outspent Barrett seven to one - could best a rival campaign built on grassroots activism and union organisation. It's bombarding people. Every time you turned on the television you were bombarded," said Marlene Dion, 75, a retired nurse. A message sinks in if you say it often enough. She spoke in a bar where Democratic activists had gathered in wistful hope of celebration. Even before the result some complained the stout was unusually bitter. Colleagues who remained at their campaign headquarters in Appleton were disconsolate, slumped before a computer screen, slowly realising that almost 500 days of rebellion had ended in failure despite impressive mobilisation of their base.