Madison -- Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald fully endorsed the idea Tuesday of fielding fake Democrats in recall elections against Republicans in an effort to delay the general elections.

"It gives us another month to campaign," said the Republican from Juneau.

Recall elections for six Republican senators are scheduled for July 12. If there are multiple candidates from the same party in any of those elections, the July 12 election becomes a primary election and a general recall election will be scheduled for Aug. 9.

Fitzgerald said Republicans would be recruited to run as Democrats -- likely in all six races -- so that the elections would be pushed back a month. He said he was persuaded by campaign staff that it was a good idea and consulted with state election officials to make sure it was allowed.

Fitzgerald said the idea was developed in response to a fake Republican running last year against Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc. Ziegelbauer was a Democrat who long voted with Republicans; he quit the Democratic Party last year and ran for re-election as an independent.

A fake Republican ran in an attempt to split the vote between him and Ziegelbauer, giving the Democrat a chance to take the seat. The move didn't work, and Ziegelbauer kept his seat.

Mark Jefferson, the state Republican Party executive director at the time, called that move a "nasty, cynical ploy."

Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said his party had no role in recruiting the fake Republican candidate.

Fitzgerald said he was not worried running fake Democrats would engender cynicism among voters.

"I think the cynicism comes from the recalls," Fitzgearld said. "Recalling senators for taking a tough vote is just wrong."

He also said holding the recall elections were costly for taxpayers. By forcing primaries with fake candidates, those costs will only climb.

Recalls were launched against Republicans because of their vote to curb collective bargaining by public workers. Meanwhile, attempts were made to recall Senate Democrats for leaving the state for three weeks to block action on the collective bargaining measure.

The state Government Accountability Board will decide Wednesday whether to schedule elections for three Democratic senators. If allowed, those elections would be held July 19.

Three of the Republicans have sued in Dane County circuit court in an attempt to halt the elections against them.