Wisconsin recall elections are overwhelmed by so-called "outside" spending.

Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) complained about it:

"For the first time in the history of Wisconsin politics - and you can print this - candidates are now almost irrelevant to campaigns... They have hijacked these elections - both sides. And the candidates have nothing to do with it."

But note that he's complaining about it in the context of the Republican National Committee announcing its support long after all the heavy spending by groups — e.g., unions — supporting the Democratic candidates.

"Maybe the cavalry should have gotten here before they stormed the fort, plundered the arsenal, poisoned the well and put us in the stockade," Ellis said.