Tim Michels gets the GOP nod for governor’s race in Wisconsin, beating out Rebecca Kleefisch.
In the hotly contested state, this was a race to watch out for, since it went beyond the candidates to their backers. While Michels was backed by former US President Donald Trump, Kleefisch received the endorsement of former Vice President Mike Pence, who fell out with his No 1, over the issue of overturning the 2020 election.
Michels set himself up nicely, with Trump’s endorsement and massive personal wealth. Meanwhile, the former president had no trouble disparaging Michels’ opposition, calling Kleefisch a “handpicked candidate of the failed establishment, the RINOs”, CNN reported.
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However, both candidates embraced Trump’s version of events that the 2020 election was stolen from him after Democrat Joe Biden became the president of the US. Kleefisch held the opinion that the results could not be decertified, because it was legally impossible, despite the election being “rigged”. Notably, Pence explained the same to Trump but the then-president kept repeating that Pence had the power to overturn the election.
Michels, meanwhile, had suggested in a debate that “everything is on the table”, indicating that he was open to decertifying Biden’s win in Wisconsin.
Kleefisch not only had Pence’s backing but was also endorsed by former Gov. Scott Walker, after being his No 2 for eight years.
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Michels goes up against Tony Evers, the Democratic Party nom for the gubernatorial race and the Wisconsin seat is expected to be among the most hotly contested ones in the US. The state is radically polarized and has gone both ways – first choosing Trump in the 2016 election and then leaning towards Biden in the 2020 run for president.
Elsewhere in Connecticut, Trump-backed GOP candidate Leora Levy won the nod for the Senate race, beating out Themis Klarides.
