Nearly $81 million spent on Walker recall

Protestors show off signs in the rotunda of the state Capitol on Jan. 25 prior to Gov. Scott Walker's State of the State address. Walker and his allies spent $58.7 million on fending off a recall. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans and Gov. Scott Walker spent more than twice as much as his recall election challenger Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Democratic supporters.

A report released Wednesday by the government watchdog group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign finds that of the $81 million spent on the race, Walker and his allies spent $58.7 million. Barrett and Democrats spent $22 million.

The report finds that the 15 recall races in 2011 and this year cost $137 million.

The money spent on Walker’s race was more than double the previous record spending of $37.4 million in Walker’s 2010 campaign.

Walker won the June 5 recall by 7 points.

Of the 15 races, only three incumbent Republicans were tossed from office. That gave Democrats a slim 17-16 majority in the state Senate.