State Sen. Vinehout Enters Governor’s Race

Democratic state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma said she is running for governor if a recall election is ordered against Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

Vinehout on Wednesday joined former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk as the only announced Democrats. Several others are considering getting in, but even if no one does a primary would be necessary.

“We’ve had an unprecedented number of people involved in Wisconsin politics like never before in this state, and those people need to be involved in this decision. This is really about them. It’s not about me or Kathleen Falk. It’s about the people of the state deciding what the future is going to look like,” Vinehout said.

The recall petitions are in the process of being verified and no date for a primary or general election has been set.

Vinehout is one of the 14 Democratic state senators who fled to Illinois last year for three weeks to stop a vote on Walker’s proposal curbing public employee union rights.

Vinehout, 53, is a former dairy farmer and college professor. She represents the 31st Senate District in the western part of the state. She was first elected to the state Senate in 2006 and won re-election in 2010 by 439 votes.