Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) paid a visit Wednesday to Palm Beach, Florida, to raise money for the recall election against him later this spring — with some hefty-sized checks.
The Palm Beach Daily News reports that Walker raised $200,000, plus more in pledges, at a luncheon organized by town council president David Rosow, attended by about ten guests with checks as high as $25,000.
Also, Walker paid a visit to the town hall council chambers, congratulating them on cutting employee pensions and other benefits — an issue closely connected to his own anti-public employee union measures, which play a major role in the recall effort against him.
The Wisconsin recall will likely be second only the presidential campaign this year, as the biggest, most expensive race in the country — and that’s just for one state, compared to the whole country.
Very importantly, Walker has been taking advantage of a key aspect of the state fundraising law for recalls — that until the election is officially triggered, the targeted incumbent can bring in unlimited out-of-state donations.
As a result, he has been able to bring in donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time, from donors such as Texas businessman Bob Perry, who financed the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth campaign of 2004, which spread false information about Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s war record.
That period will come to an end, though, on March 30 — under the finalized timeline that a judge signed off on Wednesday, for state elections officials to complete the review of petitions. This will set up the primaries for May 15, and the main event of the general election for June 5.
