Wisconsin's Katherine Harris

Kathy Nickolaus is pictured. | AP Photo

MADISON, Wis. -- It's down to one race for control of the state Senate in Wisconsin, and Democrats are accusing a GOP county clerk of holding up the ballot count.

GOP incumbent Alberta Darling is leading Democratic Rep. Sandy Pasch 52 percent to 48 percent with nearly 80 percent reporting.

But before 10 of 11 precincts had reported in Senate District 8's Waukesha County, Democrats began taking aim at clerk Kathy Nickolaus.

Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate took the stage at the Majestic Theater to accuse her of "sitting on ballots."

"We hope the Waukesha County clerk's office is doing the right thing tonight . . . But it is a little curious isn't it. Here we are on the cusp of victory . . . and Kathy Nickolaus is sitting on our ballots," Tate told the crowd of Democrats to a ripple of boos.

This is not the first time Nickolaus has been the subject of Democratic ire.

In April's Supreme Count contest, Justice David Prosser's gained 7,582 votes in Waukesha County after a major error was detected.

Tate appears ready and willing to make Nickolaus the boogeyman again, casting a cloud of doubt over the results in Senate District 8.

"The race to determine control of the Wisconsin Senate has fallen in the hands of the Waukesha County clerk, who has already distinguished herself as incompetent, if not worse. She is once more tampering with the results of a consequential election, and in the next hours we will determine our next course of action. For now, Wisconsin should know that a dark cloud hangs over these important results," said Tate in a release.

For Democrats, Kathy Nickolaus is becoming Wisconsin's own version of Katherine Harris.