With half of the eligible senators facing the prospect of a special recall election this summer, a challenger has announced his candidacy to replace Republican Sen. Luther Olsen.

Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, released a statement announcing he will run against Olsen, a Republican from Ripon. Clark said he hopes to move the Legislature past the recent gridlock and said his previous experience as a business owner would be a good indicator for his success representing the district.

“As someone who’s raised a son and had to make payroll every month as private employer, I know how hard it can be to support a family and make ends meet in today’s economy,” Clark said in a statement. “That’s why I’ve worked hard to support small businesses and to enhance economic development and the quality of life in rural areas.”

Clark announced his candidacy last week at a press conference. Olsen supporters forced themselves into the room where Clark was speaking and caused a minor disruption in the back. Some shouted at Clark, but he continued on with his conference.

University of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin said the outcome of the election between Clark and Olsen would be hard to predict since recalls have been relatively infrequent in Wisconsin.

“I think the main thing about recall elections is that they’ve been so rare in the past; it’s very hard to have a good sense of likely outcomes by looking at previous experiences,” Franklin said. “As an incumbent within a conservative-leaning district, Luther might have an advantage.”

Olsen ran unopposed in his most recent election victory. Gov. Scott Walker received 57 percent of the vote in the district in the November 2010 election and President Barack Obama took 52 percent in the 2008 election, somewhat below the statewide average.

However, Clark’s current position as a representative is also advantageous. Senate districts are comprised of three Assembly districts, and Clark’s district makes up one third of the population of Olsen’s, giving him more support in that region.

Because of the politically charged nature of recall elections, where the stakes are high, both parties can be energized and turn out more voters than previous elections, like what happened in the Supreme Court election, Franklin said.