By Callum Borchers Globe Correspondent

Mitt Romney has embraced Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in the wake of his recall election victory last week, but Walker kept Romney and his interpretation of the win at arm’s length Sunday.

Romney said Friday that Obama “wants another stimulus; he wants to hire more government workers. He says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American people did. It’s time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.”

Walker said during an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the message of Wisconsin isn’t exactly what Romney claimed.

“I think it’s slightly different,” Walker said. “I think in our case what they wanted was people who are willing to take on the tough issues, not only here in Wisconsin but across the country.”

“In my state, I know our reforms allowed us to protect firefighters, police officers and teachers,” he added. “That’s not what I think of when I think of big government.”

Democrats were quick to pounce on Romney’s remark about teachers and public safety workers, calling it evidence that he is out of touch with middle-class priorities.

“Could Mitt Romney be any more disconnected from the concerns of middle-class Americans?” said R.T. Rybak, vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee. “To suggest that police, firefighters, and teachers aren’t helping the American people and aren’t vital to our communities shows that he has no clue what’s going on in the real world.”

Walker said Wisconsin is “definitely in play” in the presidential election but stopped short of predicting a Romney victory in the state.