EAU CLAIRE (WEAU) – Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) is back in her home district for the first time since announcing that she’s running for governor.

We went one-on-one with her on Thursday.

Vinehout says after she asked for support, people told her Wisconsin needs a candidate who fights the conventional way of doing things. Now she says she's focused on bringing what she calls "full participation" to state government.

Vinehout plans to start with a whirlwind tour of the state, rallying support, and introducing herself to voters, especially in Eastern Wisconsin.

“We are going to translate that energy into the power of the people that Wisconsin has never seen before,” she said.

Republicans referred to Vinehout as a cheerleader for failed policies, adding that Governor Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin) balanced Wisconsin's budget deficit without raising taxes.

“What the Republican Party doesn't tell you is that there is a $929,000,000 dollar hole in the transportation fund,” Vinehout said.

Walker's campaign declined to comment on that. We reached out to Walker’s administration, but never heard back.

Vinehout was one of the-14 democratic senators who went to Illinois during debate over the Budget Repair Bill. Now she says she's co-sponsored a bill to restore collective bargaining for public workers.

“I believe I can find the votes in the senate and the assembly to make that happen,” she said.

Kathleen Falk (D-Madison) was the one who ended up with the endorsement of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

“I'm not so sure that the people are going to pay attention to those leaders in any particular area that are saying “vote this way…don't vote that way,”” Vinehout said.

“These endorsements are very helpful because they tell voters which side candidates are on, and I’m on the side of teachers,” said Falk.

Vinehout says we'll have to see if she'll end up with enough support to carry her through a possible recall primary and general election. If not, she says she'll remain 31st district senator, unaffected by her campaign for the governor's seat.