Wisconsin GOP leader says Trump backers seeking to recall him don’t have enough signatures

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s top Republican lawmaker, who derided supporters of former President Donald Trump attempting to recall him from office as “whack jobs and morons,” on Thursday challenged the validity of thousands of signatures collected and declared the effort failed.

If the challenges are successful, there would be nowhere near enough valid signatures to force a recall election for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.

Vos is being targeted for recall because he refused to impeach the state’s top elections official or proceed with attempting to decertify President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Wisconsin. His actions angered Trump, who accused Vos of covering up election corruption, while Trump’s followers mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge in 2022 and are now trying to force a recall election.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission, based on its initial cursory review, determined there were not enough valid signatures collected from residents of the district Vos was elected to represent.

But Vos’ district lines are changing under new legislative maps that take effect in November. The Wisconsin Elections Commission asked the state Supreme Court to determine which lines should be in place for any recall election. The answer to that would also determine how many signatures were needed to trigger the recall election.

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