WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker told a conservative audience in Washington Thursday that he expects a recall election around early June -- and his opponent would be, "handpicked by the unions."

The Republican Walker made his comments at a meeting held by the American Enterprise Institute. He said the biggest reason he's being targeted is that union dues cannot be deducted anymore from the paychecks of most public employee groups.

Walker said, "I took away the gravy train, the free money" the unions had before. And the governor said he gave the decision about being in a union back to the workers.

Walker also said the way he eliminated Wisconsin's budget deficit was, "a more optimistic, better approach" to expand upon in the future.