Recall effort targets Wis. governor

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis.

Political foes hoping to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker over his moves to significantly curb union rights in Wisconsin planned a late-night rally and early morning pajama parties to officially kick off the effort.

More than 100 events were planned across the state today to begin collecting the more than 540,000 signatures required to get a recall election on Wisconsin’s ballot next year. Supporters have until Jan. 17 to turn in signatures.

Walker came out swinging, running his first television ad in reaction to the recall during the Green Bay Packers’ Monday night football game. The 30-second ad features a school-board member from Waukesha speaking in support of the governor, followed by Walker talking directly to the camera.

“Wisconsin’s best days are yet to come,” Walker says in the ad. “It won’t happen overnight, but we are on our way.”

Walker’s campaign manager Keith Gilkes said the ad was running in all Wisconsin markets except Milwaukee and would be up for at least a week.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefsich and at least three Republican state senators also will be targeted for recall next year. Two GOP state senators lost their seats during recall elections this summer.

“I fully anticipate there will be signatures collected in every single Wisconsin county tomorrow,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate. He said he hoped to collect at least 600,000 signatures by the deadline.

The recalls organized by Democrats, labor unions and others, are largely motivated by Republicans’ adoption of a Walker- supported law that effectively ended collective- bargaining rights for most public workers.

The recalls organized by Democrats, labor unions and others, are motivated largely by Republicans’ adoption of a Walker-supported law that effectively ended collective-bargaining rights for most public workers. Wrangling over the law earlier this year spurred protests that grew as large as 100,000 people and motivated all 14 Democratic state senators to flee for three weeks in an ultimately vain attempt to stop the proposal.