Madison, Wisc.

During a Democratic gubernatorial primary debate on Wednesday night, the two leading Democrats vying for a chance to take on Governor Scott Walker in the June 5 recall election strongly disagreed over their abilities to undo Walker’s budget reforms if Walker is defeated.

Dane county executive Kathleen Falk, who is supported by Wisconsin’s major unions, has promised to veto any budget that doesn’t repeal Walker’s collective bargaining reforms–effectively pledging a government shutdown if the legislature doesn’t restore the power public sector unions lost under Walker. “The only bill that has to pass the legislature is the budget bill,” Falk said Wednesday night. “And that’s why the only way to restore it is to put it in the budget bill.”