Security for Gov. Scott Walker costs twice what it cost to protect the previous Wisconsin Governor.

The Milwaukee State Journal reports:

David Erwin, a captain in the State Patrol and the head of the unit that protects the governor, said the threats against Walker have reached a new level. State officials declined to discuss those threats or the governor's security in any detail because they said it might put him at risk.

"Any threats targeting the governor, his family and the lieutenant governor are not comparable to past administrations. Because of the increased threat level, for the first time we need to provide security at this level for the (lieutenant governor) and the governor's family," said a statement by Erwin, who also led the unit when [Jim] Doyle was governor....

Walker, a Republican, has been demonized by his opponents, because of his approach to fixing the state budget, which included withdrawing some collective bargaining rights for some government employees. Doyle, for what it's worth, was a Democrat.

The state has also paid nearly $8.2 million for increased law enforcement at the Capitol this year in the midst of massive demonstrations over the union legislation, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau....