Unions are facing a make-or-break moment in their campaign to drive Wisconsin's Republican governor from office.

One hundred and sixty local government bargaining units have notified the state that they want to take a vote on remaining officially recognized under Wisconsin's new, more restrictive collective bargaining law.

A Democrat widely viewed as a union favorite emerged Wednesday to challenge Gov. Scott Walker, a day after petition circulators spurred by anger over the Republican's moves against organized labor said they submitted more than enough signatures to force a recall election.

Groups seeking to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker submitted nearly twice as many signatures Tuesday as required to force an election, an overwhelming number that may make a vote later this year inevitable.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced Monday that he is creating a new council to help better prepare students for college and careers.

Wisconsin has dramatically increased the use of private vendors to administer Medicaid programs, which have grown in size and complexity too fast for budgeting and financial management practices to keep pace, an audit released Tuesday said.

Gov. Scott Walker's administration received preliminary approval Friday from the federal government for some Medicaid cuts it sought to balance a budget shortfall, but a final determination won't come until later, raising the possibility 53,000 people may lose coverage in the meantime.

Opponents of Republican Gov. Scott Walker, spurred by anger over his successful push to remove nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers, blanketed Wisconsin on Tuesday to launch an unprecedented effort to gather 540,000 signatures and force a recall election.