Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has hauled in an impressive amount of money this year.
The governor — who stoked liberal fury with a protracted struggle over union rights this year — has raised $2.5 million since taking office seven months ago.
According to the Wisconsin Reporter, the sum is four times what Walker’s predecessor, former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, raised at this point in his term.
“It is the direct result of the governor following through on his promises of reforming Wisconsin, balancing the budget and putting the state back to work,” Stephan Thompson, executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, told the Wisconsin Reporter.
Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesman Graeme Zielinski told The Daily Caller that the hefty haul indicates that Walker is already preparing for a recall election next year.
“The good news is it’s a sign that even he knows he will face recall and possible replacement next year as a result of his divisive agenda,” Zielinski said in an email. (Gov. Scott Walker signs concealed weapons bill into law)
“We’ll never have the mountains of cash at our disposal like Walker,” Zielinski said. “But the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has this year raised more money than Walker and we are confident that we will have the resources to stop the Walker agenda and Walker himself next year.”
The successful fundraising comes as Walker “pays back the special interests who’ve set his agenda,” Zielinski said. “That Walker has gone around with his hand out to K Street lobbyists and Wall Street bankers is a sign that he is hearing the footsteps of the working families who say ‘enough’ to his anti-family, anti-Wisconsin agenda.”
If a recall election does happen next year, Democrats may be able to enlist a top-tier candidate.
Possible Democratic challengers to Walker include Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who lost to Walker in 2010, and former Sen. Russ Feingold, who will announce around Labor Day whether he will run for the Senate seat of retiring Democrat Herb Kohl, challenge Walker or do neither.
“Feingold would certainly generate a ton of enthusiasm and has been outspoken in his criticism of the Scott Walker-Paul Ryan agenda,” Zielinski said.