As the Journal explained, Walker’s expected Democratic challenger Mary Burke “largely steers clear of the 2011 law championed by Mr. Walker.” The article noted that, “As Democrats see it, there is no realistic path to victory over Mr. Walker in November by building a campaign around restoring Wisconsin’s public-employee unions to their former status. That fight has been fought — and lost, many Democrats said. Mr. Walker won a recall election in 2012 that was largely a referendum on his tussles with the unions.”

On the campaign trail, the Journal said, Burke “doesn’t say she would repeal the law, called Act 10. Nor does she favor lifting the requirements that many public employees contribute more to health and pension benefits.”

One of the biggest question marks surrounding Walker’s reforms when he signed them was whether they would survive in a Democratic-leaning state once he left office one day. Sure, if Burke is elected, she may take aim at parts of the law (such returning more collective bargaining power to unions). But rhetoric of repealing the entire law has been tossed aside. That alone is a major victory for Walker.