In defeat no less.

Madison — Befitting the chaotic and tense situation involving the budget standoff, Sen. James Holperin (D-Eagle River) said Thursday that Senate Democrats were going to return to Madison on Thursday.

That was at odds with a statement by Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) who said that decision had not yet been made pending a meeting of the Democrats later today in Illinois.

Holperin said the Democrats made the decision as a group Wednesday night to come back to Madison on Thursday. But he said not all Democrats were at that meeting.

“I’m going back. I believe many are,” Holperin said in a telephone interview.

“We started out trying to delay the vote,” Holperin said. “We were hopeful for a compromise. But that didn’t happen.”

Asked what Democrats would do once they come back, Holperin said they would wait for the Senate to reconvene and show up in the Senate chambers.