Amid a heated recall atmosphere with accusations of damaged petitions, a state senator has emerged as a potential candidate to face Gov. Scott Walker if a recall election is triggered.

Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, recently expressed interest in running against Walker in a recall election if enough signatures are collected. According to Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Graeme Zielinski, Cullen would pose a significant threat to Walker as a credible candidate because of his history of bipartisanship in the Legislature, a characteristic Zielinski said is sorely lacking under Walker’s administration.

“Cullen would be a serious candidate because he’s somebody who knows the value of compromise,” Zielinski said. “He is a strong voice for moderation in an atmosphere that’s been poisoned by Walker, who is a candidate that rules by fear. Cullen, in comparison, would rule by compromise and consensus.”

Zielinski also said there are many stakeholders with an interest in seeing Walker recalled, and independents, progressives and Republicans will all have a say in which candidate will be chosen to run in the recall election.

United Wisconsin spokesperson Meagan Mahaffey said in an email to The Badger Herald that the organization is solely focused on getting enough signatures to trigger a recall election and does not intend to play a role in selecting the candidates to run against Walker.

Mahaffey commented on the success of United Wisconsin’s recall efforts, stating in her email that more than 300,000 signatures have been collected at last count, many in historically conservative counties.

According to both Mahaffey and Zielinski, defamation and other acts against the recall efforts occurring across the state have not affected the movement’s success.

One such defamation act took place in Chippewa Falls, where a 68-year-old woman destroyed a “Recall Walker” sign owned by petition volunteers.

According to Chippewa Falls Police Capt. John Liddell, the woman pulled her vehicle up near the volunteers and appeared as though she wanted to sign the petition. She instead ripped up the petition and drove away, yelling at the volunteers.

Liddell said the volunteers recorded the woman’s license plate and plan to press charges. The woman was not immediately taken into custody, but the police report will be sent to the Chippewa Falls district attorney for formal charges of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

A similar situation is being investigated in West Bend, where 30-year-old Jeffery Karnitz is being charged with two counts of defacing recall petitions for both Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, a felony in Wisconsin. West Bend Police Lt. Richard Lucka said Karnitz scribbled out names on two petitions in a residential neighborhood in West Bend.

Ben Sparks, spokesperson for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said in an email to The Badger Herald that the party does not condone any misconduct during the ongoing recall process and encourages citizens to contact their local law enforcement should they witness any unlawful behavior.

Sparks also commented on recall misconduct on the part of recall volunteers.

“Through the Recall Integrity Center, we’ve received details regarding numerous incidents of misconduct,” Sparks said in the email. “Many individuals affected have expressed reservations about going public out of fear of intimidation and harassment and wish to keep their identity private. We have documented these incidents and will keep them internal at this time.”