Infighting Escalates in Wisconsin GOP Primary as Candidates Jockey to Prove Who’s More Radical

As Wisconsin Republicans remain deeply divided on who they want their nominee for governor to be, Rebecca Kleefisch and Tim Michels are at each other’s throats. Yesterday, Kleefisch attacked Michels directly for failing to take responsibility for his company’s actions and its so-called “liberal positions.” 

Kleefisch is also running multiple attack ads against Michels, including one where she accuses Michels of being “out for himself.” In another Kleefisch ad, Wisconsin’s favorite failed former governor Scott Walker, joins in on the mudslinging against Michels.

In response, Michels, who is proudly endorsed by Trump, said it’s “sad” Kleefisch decided to go negative, and that, “when politicians are shocked to find themselves losing, they go negative out of desperation.”

While they attack each other, the reality is that all of the candidates in the GOP primary for governor have extreme, out-of-touch positions when it comes to reproductive rights and public safety. Both Kleefisch and Michels have said they support banning abortion without exceptions for rape and incest. And they’ve refused to say if they’ll go even further and support even more extreme restrictions to reproductive health care than already in place.

“The GOP candidates can attack each other all they’d like — Wisconsin Republicans aren’t any closer to uniting around a nominee for governor,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “Whether it’s Kleefisch, Michels, or any other candidate who scrapes a win out of this messy primary, their radical stances on key issues will automatically disqualify them from being fit to govern.”