Wisconsin Democrats are telling reporters that they have gathered more than one million signatures to recall Governor Scott Walker — a remarkable number that could have real ramifications for this year’s presidential race.
While that total had been hinted at, Wisconsin Dem spokesman Graeme Zielinski confirms to me that it’s official. John Nichols, speculating earlier today about this possibility, puts the number in perspective:
If that is the case, the movement to oust Walker will have secured the support of a higher percentage of eligible voters than has ever before sought to recall an American governor.
Dems need around 540,000 of those signatures to be certified as official in order for the recall of Walker to proceed. The one-million total makes that cushion pretty comfortable.
There is still a very long way to go in terms of getting Walker recalled. A massive amount of cash will again flood into the state from both sides in order to influence the outcome. But the mere fact that there’s already so much support for the recall suggests that despite the Dem failure to take back the Wisconsin state senate last year, there’s still a tremendous amount of grassroots energy on the ground on the Dem side — nearly a year since the fight in Wisconsin first began — in a key swing state in a presidential election year.
More soon...
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UPDATE: Here’s the video statement from Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Mike Tate:
