A caravan of union members and their supporters is heading to Madison today to present petitions to the Government Accountability Board calling for the recall of State Senator Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls. The group says it gathered more than 22,000 signatures on recall petitions – about 7,000 more than needed to force a recall election.
The support for the petition drive drew largely from employees of the northwest Wisconsin area’s school districts, two UW campuses and two technical colleges.
Harsdorf is backer of Governor Walker’s efforts to cut state spending and his budget repair bill which strips most public employees of almost all of their collective bargaining rights.
“This is not about conservative versus liberal, this about wrong. This is about how to govern and not dictate,” said Scott Heron, one of the petition organizers.
Harsdorf has already geared up her campaign committee to fight the recall and held a rally at a park in Hudson last night. The River Falls Republican said she’s heard from a number of constituents who’ve told her “it’s critical we take these steps to balance our budget and speak up for taxpayers.”
The GAB has one month to certify the signatures. No one has emerged as a candidate to face Harsdorf if a recall election is authorized.