Posted: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 --- 9:30p.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch has survived a recall attempt, defeating Democratic challenger Mahlon Mitchell in a historic recall election.

The Republican Kleefisch was the first lieutenant governor in the nation's history to face a recall election. Now she's also the first to survive one.

Kleefisch faced a recall along with her boss, Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Democrats and unions had been angered after Walker and the GOP-led Legislature took on public-sector union rights last year.

Walker and Kleefisch both won their races Tuesday.

Since 1970, Wisconsin has elected its governor and lieutenant governor as a pair on a joint ticket. But because of how these recalls were conducted, the races for governor and lieutenant governor were listed separately.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.