Union support could hurt Falk in recall election

As major unions began endorsing Kathleen Falk in the recall effort against Gov. Scott Walker, some union members wished labor leaders had waited for more candidates to emerge.

Since then, polls indicate Falk has drawn even with Walker, but she may have fallen farther behind a potential Democratic Party primary rival, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who was spurned by major public employee unions.

Those unions "may have done more harm to Kathleen Falk than good," said Jim Palmer, executive director the Wisconsin Professional Police Association union. "She is going to have to carry this moniker of the hand-picked union candidate. I think Wisconsin wants a broader agenda."

Falk backers say she's running a broad-based campaign, and the union backing will provide the campaign foot soldiers who can turn out the large numbers of Democratic voters needed in what is shaping up as a tight election.

"It will be really close," said Charles Franklin, a longtime pollster and Marquette University Law School political scientist.
The recall election could begin with a primary as early as May 1 and a general election in June.


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