Four state senators look to be recalled

• Wisconsin State Senate

Wisconsin State Senate

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Enough signatures appear to be gathered to force recall elections against four Wisconsin senators.

A group hoping to recall Republican Dan Kapanke of La Crosse filed about six-thousand more signatures than the minimum last week. And today, rallies are planned in Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, and Waupun where organizers are expected to announce they have enough signatures to force a vote against Fond du Lac Republican Randy Hopper.

A group hoping to recall Kenosha County Democrat Bob Wirch (D-Kenosha) said it received the signatures it needed on Monday, and is now gathering extra ones to replace those ruled invalid. And organizers of the campaign against Senate Democrat Dave Hansen of Green Bay say they probably have enough signatures. They obtained three-thousand on Tuesday from voters going to the polls for the Supreme Court race.

Sixteen Wisconsin senators face possible recalls for their actions on the bill which limits collective bargaining by public employee unions. Eight targets are from each party. Petitioners in several recall drives raked in a harvest of signatures at the polls. Officials said it did not violate electioneering laws because they didn’t pertain to the election at hand.

Some organizers said Tuesday’s close Supreme Court vote provided a forecast of what might happen in the recall drives. Conservative Justice David Prosser got 57-percent of the vote in Senate Democrat Jim Holperin’s northern Wisconsin district. Recall organizer Kim Simac called it a sign that Holperin’s in trouble. But the senator denies that. Holperin (D-Conover) says he’ll certain face a recall election, but he’s done well in the past against conservative tides.

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