WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker spent part of his Wednesday campaigning with Rebecca Kleefisch in Wausau at the Wisconsin Valley Fair ahead of next week’s primary election.
“When she ran for the very first time in 2010 and joined our ticket, she was a fighter,” said Walker. “She didn’t back down, she was a strong, conservative, common-sense advocate.”
He says he still runs into business owners who praise Kleefish’s role as the jobs ambassador for the Walker administration. “They tell me time and time again your Lieutenant Governor is the reason we came here from another state. Your Lieutenant Governor is the reason we grew here in the state of Wisconsin. I have no doubt that she’s going to excel even greater than she did back then.”
Walker adds that he has no ill will against Tim Michels, the Trump-backed candidate in the race and someone who supported him during his campaigns. However, he does question where some of Michels’ priorities may actually lie if he were to advance in the race. “I’m not going to say anything bad about him personally, but Tim Michels’ company has repeatedly supported gas tax increases and was part of groups that fought against some of our reforms.
“I think it’s important for voters to know more than just the TV ads; to know the difference between Rebecca and other people in the race who run nice ads but when you look at what they’ve done in the past, or at least what their company has done, it’s often been at odds with conservative policies,” added Walker.
RELATED: Kleefisch Not Letting Endorsements for Michels Bother Her
The former Governor and current President of the Young Americas Foundation also sees this race as an important step towards flipping Wisconsin back to the Republican side in the 2024 Presidental election after President Joe Biden (D) won the state by some 20,000 votes two years ago.
Kleefisch and Michels are joined by Assemblyman Tim Ramthun in Tuesday’s primary. The winner, along with the winner of an eight-way race for Lieutenant Governor, advances to the November ballot against incumbent Tony Evers and one of two candidates for the Democratic Lieutenant Governor position.
Hear the complete interview with Walker and WSAU News Director Mike Leischner at the top of this story.
