Protests Grip Hudson, Wis., For A Third Week
HUDSON, Wis. (WCCO) – Supporters of Gov. Scott Walker made the case for the governor's budget bill with a 10-city bus tour around Wisconsin.
Hundreds of union supporters, who are against the bill to end collective bargaining, greeted the bus Sunday with a protest.
Their message hasn't changed since the first protest nearly three weeks ago.
"We need to fix the budget, but not on the backs of the working poor," said Eunice Beauchman, a union supporter.
Union supporters are putting words to action.
"It's our right in democracy to petition for relief and one of the ways we do that is to petition for a recall," said Celeste Koeberl, a union supporter.
A recall petition for Republican state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf circulated through a crowd of hundreds.
"Everybody here wants to see her out of office if she's not going to show the kind of leadership we expect from her," said Mark Kearns, a Wisconsin teacher.
Harsdorf stood only a few feet away.
"That's part of the process. That's something they feel strongly about," Harsdorf said.
She was surrounded by more than 100 of her supporters at a hotel, and recall was the last thing on their minds.
"Being in government, being an elected official, you stand up for what you believe is right," Harsdorf said.
Union supporters will need to collect around 15,000 signatures to for a recall election.
Protesters have talked about recalling Walker, but voters can't start that process until he's been in office a year.
