Democratic leaders in Wisconsin will file petitions to recall Randy Hopper, making him the second Republican state Senator to have recall petitions filed against him. Last week, Dan Kapanke’s recall petition was filed.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman, Mike Tate, released this statement:

“Randy Hopper, like Dan Kapanke before him, made his choice when he cast his lot with Scott Walker and his extreme power grab. Today, a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents took the historic step of calling him to account.

This announcement comes only two days after Wisconsinites turned out en masse, with some precincts posting record turnout rivaling that of the 2008 presidential election, to stand up against Scott Walker and his outrageous assault on Wisconsin’s working families.

People all over Wisconsin, and the 18th Senate District, tried to make themselves heard in February and March, but Hopper, like Walker, would not listen.

Now, both at the polls on Tuesday and on the ground the past few weeks in the 18th District, the people have sent a clear signal to an intransigent governor and his rubberstamp legislature that their methods and philosophies have been rejected, and there is no choice now but to know that the working families of Wisconsin will be heard.

Hopper has more than a few challenges in a recall election, if the signatures clear and the recall petition is successful. During the signature gathering phase, it was revealed that his wife and maid signed the petition against him. It turns out that Hopper was estranged from his wife and living with a mistress in an apartment in Madison. That called into question residency requirements. And further investigation revealed that the mistress received a state job from Gov. Walker’s administration, despite a late application.

Rallies are planned in the district today before dropping the signatures off at the Government Accountability Board in Madison.

Polling from Daily Kos showed Hopper trailing a generic Democrat in a hypothetical recall. Within a month, it may no longer be so hypothetical.

The above video shows Hopper bragging that he was the first Republican to endorse Scott Walker in the gubernatorial election. (h/t Blogging Blue)

UPDATE: Greg Sargent writes that Democrats will deliver almost 24,000 signatures today, 153% of what’s necessary for the recall to be triggered.