Republican Tim Michels launches run for governor

BROWNSVILLE, Wis. (AP) - Republican Tim Michels launched his campaign for Wisconsin governor Monday.

Michels spoke before a crowd of supporters at the headquarters of the construction company he co-owns in his hometown of Brownsville.

His running was a rumor for the past few weeks. Yesterday, he released a video promising to turn Madison upside down.

Michels is casting himself as a political outsider, promising to run an aggressive campaign free of special interest money.

He joins a crowded field which includes Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, State Representative Timothy Ramthun and several other lesser known candidates.

Former Governor Tommy Thompson announced he would not enter this race.

Michels commented on the political divide at his event.

“Enough with the political bickering, enough of the left and the right not getting along. We gotta bring people together, sit down, work this stuff out with proper leadership. We will get this state on the right path to great success,” Michels said.

He also promised to sign legislation to ban critical race theory from being taught in the public school system, and addressed Milwaukee’s crime problem.

“My brother in law is in law enforcement. He tells me the stories of how law enforcement officers feel today because of defund the police, because of the disrespect that they get. I will back the blue and bad guys are not going to like me,” Michels added.

Michels previously ran for a United States Senate seat but lost to Russ Feingold in 2004. Still, he broke a record for the most votes received by any Republican in the history of the state.

Democrats are also chiming in on the announcement.

“Tim Michels who has been very close to Rebecca Kleefisch and Scott Walker who has reaped enormous amounts of money in public contracts and been a major political benefactor for Republicans now running as an anti-establishment candidate is kind of laughable,” said Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.