Free | 23/6
Posted: 5/30/2012
MADISON, Wis. -- Republican Gov. Scott Walker has raised more than $30 million since he took office, including a remarkable $5.8 million in the last five weeks reported to Wisconsin regulators Tuesday.Walker reported his latest donations a week before he faces Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a recall election that is also a rematch of the 2010 governor's race. The state elections board predicted Tuesday that turnout would be between 60 percent and 65 percent, nearing levels normally seen in a presidential election.In his 2010 campaign, Walker set the state's fundraising record by bringing in $11 million. But he has nearly tripled that since by playing off his national conservative credentials as he rocketed to stardom after taking on public sector unions.That fight, in which most Wisconsin public workers lost their collective bargaining rights, triggered the recall. Wisconsin law allowed Walker, as the subject of the recall, to raise unlimited amounts to pay for any debts he incurred over a nearly five-week period.That has allowed him to rake in massive donations never before seen in Wisconsin, including $100,000 he reported receiving Sunday from Richard Pieper, the head of Pieper Electric in Milwaukee. He also reported receiving $50,000 from Richard Roberts, president of URL Pharma in Philadelphia and $25,000 from Mac Carney, CEO of Midwest Insurance Co. in Springfield, Ill., over the past week.Walker said he raised $5 million between April 24 and May 21, but that full report with details of donations had yet to be filed as of late Tuesday afternoon. Since then he has raised an additional $800,000 at least in reports he is required to file noting any donation above $500. Walker said he had $1.6 million cash on hand.Barrett had not yet filed his monthly report as of late Tuesday, but his late donations received since May 22 totaled just over $261,000.Both Barrett and Walker were out campaigning Tuesday. Barrett took to the road with former U.S. S