Seven Will Run Against Walker

This week, a number of real and “protest” candidates took the next step toward running in the upcoming recall elections. April 10 was the deadline for filing papers to get on the ballot for the recall elections against Gov. Walker, Lt. Gov. Kleefisch, and the State Senators from Districts 13, 21, 23 and 29. Incumbents are automatically placed on the ballot, while challengers must secure nomination signatures, 2,000 for Gov. and Lt. Gov. and 400 for State Senate, for their name to appear.

For the Democratic ticket, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Secretary of State Doug La Follette and state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma all turned in enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot.

Gladys Huber also filed enough signatures to run as a Democrat for governor. Huber is running as a protest candidate in the Democratic primary as part of the Republican effort to ensure that all elections on May 8 will be primary elections, setting June 5 as the general election for all races.

Arthur Louis Kohl-Riggs will appear on the Republican primary ballot as a protest candidate. The GAB’s original signature tally showed Kohl-Riggs falling short of the 2,000 signature mark, but he was able to submit a correcting affidavit that gave him enough signatures to appear on the ballot. Michael Mangan, another potential Republican protest candidate failed to turn in enough signatures.

Hari Trivedi, who you may remember from his Super Bowl ads, turned in sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot as an Independent candidate.

Four people filed nomination papers for the Lt. Gov. race. Bruce Berman and Dale Paul failed to submit enough signatures, but Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin President Mahlon Mitchell and private investigator Ira Robins will appear on the ballot. Protest candidate Isaac Weix will also appear on the list of Democratic primary challengers.

Each Senate race will also feature a protest candidate running in the primary against the actual Democratic challenger.

In District 13, Terry Virgil will appear on the ballot as a Libertarian, while the Democratic primary will include Lori Compas and protest candidate Gary Ellerman. Virgil and the winner of the Democratic primary will take on incumbent Scott Fitzgerald in the general.

In District 21, incumbent Van Wanggaard will face either former Democratic Rep. John Lehman or protest candidate Tamra Varebrook.

In District 23, incumbent Terry Moulton will face either former Democratic Rep. Kristen Dexter or protest candidate James Engel.

The race for District 29 is a recall election, but the resignation of incumbent Pam Galloway means this a race for an open seat. Republican Rep. Jerry Petrowski will face either Democratic Rep. Donna Seidel or protest candidate Jim Buckley in the general.

The outcome of the Senate races will determine which party controls that chamber, as it is currently divided 16-16.

The April 10 candidate list is not however the final list of primary candidates. Candidates who have less than the required number of valid signatures have until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13 to file correcting affidavits to rehabilitate any signatures struck by the staff. April 13 is also the deadline for filing a Statement of Economic Interests.

The list of candidates is also subject to challenge, and one has been brought by Democratic attorney Jeremy Levinson. The complaint filed by Levinson argues the protest candidates running in the Democratic primaries falsified information on their nominating papers since they claimed to represent the Democratic party.

The GAB has scheduled a public meeting for Tuesday, April 17 to consider the challenge.

Updated April 12, 2012