Michels reverses, tells crowd he will support Trump in 2024

KAUKAUNA, Wis. (WBAY) - We’re a week away from the state’s partisan primary and the race for governor on the Republican side of the ballot focused on Northeast Wisconsin Tuesday night.

That’s where two of the candidates, Tim Michels and Rebecca Kleefisch, held rallies.

In a speech to supporters in Kaukauna, Michels also reversed what he previously said to a question concerning former President Donald Trump just 24 hours prior.

Trump endorsed Michels, and Michels told the crowd in Kaukauna he would return the favor if given the chance.

“I wish he was president today and had four more years,” Michels said, adding, “If he runs in 2024 if he does I will support him and I will endorse him. We need somebody like that in Washington, D.C.”

That’s not necessarily what Michels said the day before during a town hall that was televised to a statewide audience.

During the event, someone wanted to know if any of the candidates on stage would support Trump making another presidential run and whether Trump should be held accountable for the Capitol Riots.

Michels replied, “I have made no commitments to any candidates in 2024. What I am focusing on is beating Tony Evers.”

After the rally, we tried to clarify this with Michels, whose campaign initially told us he wasn’t taking any questions from the media.

Only after standing our ground, he allowed one question.

Action 2 News reporter Jason Zimmerman said to Michels, “The question I had was on Donald Trump. I know last night you weren’t going to endorse him right away and tonight it sounded like you would endorse him right away. Is that a change for the past 24 hours?

Michels replied, “I talked about it last night.”

“So you would endorse him right away?” Zimmerman tried to clarify.

Michels said, “Well, we don’t know. We don’t know if he’s running, right?”

A campaign staff member then interrupted, pushing members of the media away, yelling, “Hey guys we’re taking no more questions, we’re taking no more questions.”

Another reporter from a national media outlet tried to follow up on that question but was blocked by several campaign staff members.

Meanwhile, in Green Bay, Rebecca Kleefisch held a rally with former Governor Scott Walker.

Action 2 News also asked her the same question, even though she sought out but did not receive the Trump endorsement.

“What I said last night is that I will endorse the Republican nominee in 2024, and whoever that will be I can promise we will do everything humanly possible to deliver Wisconsin’s electoral votes,” said Kleefisch.

The Kleefisch campaign took that question and all of the others ones Action 2 News posed as a follow-up to Monday’s town hall forum.

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