MADISON – With Scott Walker again out of Wisconsin this week, on a presidential campaign trip to Israel, Wisconsin Democrats today launched a series of billboards running in Milwaukee and Green Bay calling on Walker to come home, do his job, and accept federal funds to strengthen BadgerCare.

As a result of four years of irresponsible budgeting under Republican leadership, Wisconsin is faced with a self-inflicted $2 billion budget deficit. Instead of doing the responsible thing for our bottom line and what’s best for Wisconsinites, Scott Walker and his Republican legislature are rejecting $345 million in federal funds to strengthen BadgerCare -- a politically-motivated decision designed to further Scott Walker's personal ambitions at the expense of working Wisconsin families.

On a call with reporters today, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said:

“We launched these billboards today to remind voters in Wisconsin, and maybe even some of Walker’s Republican colleagues, that Wisconsin’s middle class has to come before Scott Walker’s political career.”

Joining Tate on the call were Assembly Leader Peter Barca and state Senator Chris Larson.

Larson commented on the call that in addition to the partisan political decision to reject federal funds to strengthen BadgerCare, Republicans have made many choices that hurt the middle class. “Whether it’s tax cuts targeted to those at the very top, repeated attacks on women’s rights to make their own healthcare choices, or chronically underfunding our public schools in favor of an unaccountable voucher system supported by Walker’s donors, the choices that have been made over the past four years have hurt our middle class – because they are about Scott Walker selling out Wisconsin to reward special interests and further his political career,” Larson said.

Barca added, “It’s time for Scott Walker to come home, take the BadgerCare money, do his job, and pass a budget that reflects our values, funds needed investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, and puts middle class Wisconsin families before his personal political ambitions.”