Tim Michels launches campaign for governor
MADISON, Wis. - A shakeup in Wisconsin's race for governor as business owner Tim Michels jumps in.
He’s one of the Republicans hoping to face off against Democrat Tony Evers.
Get ready for lots of ads. Michels this week is pouring nearly $1 million into getting your attention. He officially launched his campaign at his corporation's headquarters in Brownsville.
Tim Michels co-owns Michels Corp. Their 8,000 workers build pipelines, electric utilities, bridges and roads.
Michels touts being an Army commander and says he’s going to turn Madison upside down.
"The radical left, they’re destroying everything that we love about America, and too many Establishment Republicans, they’re along for the ride," said Michels.
He jumps in less than four months before the primary, tapping into big bucks.
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"I’m guessing by the end of this week, he’s going to be as recognizable in terms of public opinion polls as his three opponents, maybe even better than them because television goes into people’s homes," said Mordecai Lee, UWM. "They watch it in the kitchen. They watch it in the den. They watch it late at night when they’re in their bedrooms, and so, the candidate is there with them. That’s the power of television."
He joins a crowded Republican field with former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, business consultant Kevin Nicholson and State Rep. Tim Ramthun.
"Now, suddenly, we’ve got four people running for the Republican nomination for governor," said Lee. "What is it going to take to win 30%, 35%? That’s not a majority."
Seen as a key to winning that nomination is getting support from former President Donald Trump, who hasn't endorsed but has met with candidates, including Michels.
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"It seems to me they’re going to be ranked by the Republican voters based on most-Trump-y, sort of Trump-y, least Trump-y," said Lee.
Still, Donald Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 by some 20,000 votes.
"I think what Michels might see is an opening, that if the other three candidates are only going for the Trump base, they’re fighting over who’s the most Trump-y, he might be saying to himself, ‘I’m going to go for the Waukesha County soccer moms,’" said Lee. "'I’m going to be the Republican candidate they are more used to.'"
Michels will face the other republicans in the primary Aug. 9.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin launched a webpage attacking Michels, among other things, accusing him of wanting to ban abortions.
Michels ran for U.S. Senate in 2004 and lost.