In a brief email statement to the State Journal Thursday, Baltes said, "If the best anyone can do is to try to smear me with something that happened over 20 years ago, they have too much time on their hands."

He said those who purchased tickets for the canceled Beck shows were sent refunds this week. As for donations to the Wisconsin recall efforts, he said he raised raised $775 and spent more than $800.

Horn, in his dealings with the Utah-based coalition, said he learned the group has "very few" local volunteers or signatures.

By merging with Baltes, Horn said the local effort likely would have had an easy time getting the necessary signatures with one additional week. But the end wouldn't justify the means, he said.

The senators are being targeted for leaving Wisconsin earlier this year in an attempt to thwart a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's bill limiting public sector collective bargaining.

Horn said he hopes the work of the local volunteers in the recall effort will instead encourage Republican candidates to run against Miller when his term expires next year.

"There is strong support out there for somebody to run against him," Horn said.