Second Democrat enters Wis. recall election

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MADISON, Wis., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- A second Democrat announced her candidacy Wednesday in the campaign to recall and replace Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Kathleen Falk is the former executive of Dane County, an overwhelmingly Democratic area that includes the state capital, Madison. In a YouTube clip on her Web site, she attacked Walker's collective bargaining law for state employees and blamed him for the loss of jobs in Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

"You and I both know things aren't working here," she said. "We can change that and we must. We can't wait three more years to fix what's wrong."

State Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville has also said he is running, meaning a Democratic primary is likely. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and former U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wis., are believed to be considering entering the race.

Falk has made two previous bids for statewide office. In 2002, she was defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary and in 2006 she beat an incumbent attorney general in the primary and lost the general election.

Democrats submitted petitions containing more than a million signatures Tuesday to recall Walker, more than twice the number needed though they have yet be certified. Petitions also were filed seeking to recall Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators.

If a primary is needed, it would take place 60 day after the petitions are certified, with the general election to follow four weeks later.

Last year, Democratic state senators fled the state in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid a vote on the bill stripping public employee unions of collective bargaining rights.