WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign says the outcome of the Wisconsin recall election isn’t what it had been hoping for.

The Republican governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, defeated the Democrat who sought to oust him, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Obama never traveled to Wisconsin to campaign with Barrett but sent out a message on the social media site Twitter late Monday to say he was standing by Barrett.

In a statement Tuesday night, the Wisconsin director of Obama’s campaign, Tripp Wellde, pointed to a bright spot for Democrats: Exit polls show voters favoring Obama over Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

In spite of Walker’s victory, Wellde says the recall election has sent a strong message to Walker about what Wellde calls “the politics of division.”

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