Madison, Wisconsin (AP) — Tim Michels, a wealthy businessman endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won the Republican primary for governor of Wisconsin on Tuesday, raising the possibility of reshaping the election at Marquee Battlegrounds. I’m going to face Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in a contest.
Michels defeated former Lieutenant Rebecca Cliefish, who was endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence and who was a Republican supporter, including the former government. Scott Walker.
In his victory speech, Michels said the race is “to stand up for the hard working people of Wisconsin. They’ve been left behind by Democrats who just want to focus on social issues.” I promised to stay focused.
Evers’ campaign described Michels as “the most extreme and divisive candidate possible, someone who would tell Donald Trump anything just to keep his support.
Both Michels and Creefish falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. Trump pushed this lie to reverse his defeat to Joe Biden. Michels said de-accrediting the results of the 2020 contest was not a priority, but said “everything is subject to consideration.” He supports other changes to voting and elections, including dismantling the bipartisan commission that runs Wisconsin’s elections.
The governor’s race was the latest proxy war between Trump and Pence, who have backed rival candidates in other battleground states looking to push the Republican Party in a different direction.
The primary took place the day after FBI agents raided the Mar-a-Lago mansion as part of an investigation into whether Trump took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, two people familiar with the matter said. A person told the Associated Press.
In the Democratic Senate primary, Lieutenant Mandela Burns won the nomination and faced off against Republican Senator Ron Johnson. She is one of Trump’s most vocal supporters. The matchup will be one of the last set before her November general election, which will take control of the Senate, which is currently split 50-50, and Democrats will have the best chance of replacing Wisconsin. We see it as one of the opportunities for
Wisconsin’s most powerful Republican and state legislature speaker, Robin Voss, thwarted a Trump-backed challenger. Trump backed Adam Steen after Voss rejected pressure from the former president to revoke the certification of 2020 results. No,” he said.
Tuesday’s results, which are nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, have far-reaching ramifications beyond Wisconsin, where 2022 is seen as a precursor to the 2024 presidential election. Those elected governor this fall can run for president and sign or veto election law changes passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. Governor-elects and U.S. Senators could also influence decisions on issues ranging from abortion to education to taxes.
“We’re a 50-50 state, so every election in Wisconsin is, of course, somehow going to be decided by a few percentage points,” said former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. said Mr. “And those few percentage points in Wisconsin could determine what the course of the country will be in the years to come.”
Elsewhere on Tuesday, a pro-Trump candidate won the Republican primary for the Senate in Connecticut, home to the Republican establishment. Republican National Committee Rep. Leora Levy, whom Trump endorsed last week, beat second-term Democratic Sen. You will face Mr. Tarr. Voters in Vermont, the only state that didn’t have a woman in its legislative delegation, chose female Becca Balint as the Democratic candidate for the state’s only House seat. She is endorsed in the race to replace Rep. Peter Welch, who won the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat long held by retired Patrick Leahy. And Minnesota Republicans have selected state Republican-backed COVID-19 vaccine skeptic Dr. Scott Jensen to face Governor Tim Waltz.
But it was Wisconsin that got the most attention, where Trump has continued to press for Joe Biden’s 2020 victory to be reversed. Four years after Trump narrowly won the state by about the same margin, Biden won by nearly 21,000 votes. The 2020 results are supported by two partial recounts, a bipartisan audit, a review by a conservative law firm, and multiple lawsuits.
Evers has made voting and elections the focus of his own campaign, being the only candidate to stand up for democracy, telling voters that “there are very few votes in Wisconsin.”
Both Michels and Kleefisch said overturning the 2020 election results was not a priority. But they dismantled the bipartisan commission that ran Wisconsin’s elections, forced voters to have someone else turn in their absentee ballots, and voted for ballot drop-boxes in places other than staffed offices. said he supported a ban on
Michels is a co-owner of Wisconsin’s largest construction company and has advertised his work to build the family business. It has become a major donor to Republican politicians.
At a rally on Friday, Trump praised Michels as an “incredible success story.” He criticized Kleefisch as part of a “failed establishment” and took aim at Vos as well.
Michelles promised to “ensure the integrity of the election here in Wisconsin.” He also said he would restore “law and order” to Wisconsin, criticized Mr. Evers’ handling of schools and blamed Mr. Biden for rising prices.
Republican Rep. Tim Ramsan also made a big bid for gubernatorial.
In a concession speech, Creefish said, “Now the battle is against Tony Evers and the liberals who want to take our way of life.”
In his victory speech in Milwaukee, Burns emphasized his middle-class origins and upbringing, while seeing Johnson as a “selfish” and “out-of-touch politician” who only cared about special interests and wealthy donors.
“People, it’s time for a change,” said Burns, who will become Wisconsin’s first black senator. “The time has come for us to have someone to share our experience with.”
Johnson called Burns “the most radical left-wing candidate” the Democrats could have chosen.
“This is a battle between radical left socialism versus freedom and prosperity,” he said.
Burnett reported from Chicago. Reporter Gretchen Ehlke contributed from Tiensville, Wisconsin.
