A Wisconsin panel has voted to hold a recall election on June 5 for Gov. Scott Walker, after the efforts of his opponents in last year's fight to end state workers' collective bargaining rights and limit their benefits. Before the state's Government Accountability Board voted 5-0 Friday to hold the recall election, those who had organized a massive signature drive had already started gloating about their success. "Scott Walker owes the entire state of Wisconsin an apology," recall proponent We Are Wisconsin director Kristen Crowell said in a statement, according to Businessweek. She has grounds to gloat: Recall proponents collected more than 900,000 signatures on a petition calling for a recall, when 540,208 would have done the trick, the Associated Press notes. Now comes a new fight: A short-term gubernatorial campaign that will rage through the spring. "Three Democrats already have announced they are running and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, whom Walker defeated in 2010, has said he would announce his intentions before Tuesday," the AP reported.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at amartin at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Adam Martin