Wisconsin’s former lieutenant governor was hoping a party endorsement would give her an edge over wealthy opponents

At the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s annual convention, held in Middleton over the weekend, five GOP candidates for governor each received 12 minutes to make their case to delegates on why they deserved the party’s endorsement ahead of the Aug. 9 primary. Rebecca Kleefisch, widely considered the front-runner in the race, elected to have her former running mate use most of her allotted time.
“Beating Tony Evers is not going to be easy. Hard to imagine, because Tony Evers is an incompetent incumbent. He's a radical, he's not up for the job,” said former Gov. Scott Walker on May 21 in the Marriott convention hall, priming the crowd for Kleefisch to speak. “Money alone isn't going to win this election. We've got to have the right message and the right candidate…. Rebecca Kleefisch is the right candidate to defeat Tony Evers this fall.”
The big question at this year’s gathering of Wisconsin Republicans was whether Kleefisch could convince around 1,500 delegates from across the state to unite behind her candidacy for governor. According to party rules if a candidate receives at least 60 percent support from delegates at the state convention, that candidate can start tapping into the party’s resources and campaign infrastructure even if other Republicans are competing for the nomination. After three long hours and two ballots, the party opted not to endorse any Republican candidate for governor.
But Kleefisch tried her best to nab her party’s endorsement and she came damn close. The former lieutenant governor won support from a majority of delegates (54.5 percent) but failed to reach the 60 percent threshold. Several party insiders, who asked for anonymity, told Isthmus that Kleefisch was the only candidate even trying to win the endorsement. She went all out the first night of the convention when gubernatorial candidates pressed the flesh in private hospitality rooms. Kleefisch’s suite had a retro arcade theme featuring pinball, vintage coin-op games and a claw machine (plus free beer). It was reported to be packed most of the night. In addition to Walker whipping votes as a surrogate, Kleefisch’s 16-year-old daughter, Violet, spent an admirably long stint on Saturday talking to delegates one-on-one at her mother’s booth outside the convention floor.
“I like helping my mom because her intentions are always good,” this reporter heard Violet tell one delighted delegate, with all the finesse of a seasoned politician. “I hope she can count on your support.”
The other Republicans in the race include Tim Michels and Kevin Nicholson, who are both wealthy businessmen, veterans, and unsuccessful candidates for U.S. Senate. Also running is state Rep. Timothy Ramthun (R-Campbellsport) who is so convinced the 2020 presidential election was stolen in Wisconsin he keeps insisting Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) was in on the plot. His hospitality suite Friday night was also reportedly well attended because celebrity election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell — the My Pillow Guy — made an appearance. Then there’s Adam Fischer, a longshot candidate who describes himself as “one pissed-off American.” All four candidates lobbied delegates to vote “no endorsement,” a move intended to keep Kleefisch from receiving the party’s seal of approval and its resources — which some at the convention feared would be used to attack other Republicans in the primary race.

One veteran GOP campaign staffer at the convention, who asked not to be quoted by name, told Isthmus that Kleefisch needed the party’s endorsement because she’s worried about construction magnate Michels, who just entered the race in April.
“Rebecca is the frontrunner for sure. But what if Michels decided to go negative?” said the source. “He hasn’t yet. But that might be a real problem.”
Several people at the convention told Isthmus that Michels has been spending 1 million dollars a week (mostly for TV ads) on his campaign. Michels campaign did not immediately respond to an email asking to confirm the charge, and that figure seems high. Even so, Michels told delegates at the convention he’s willing to self-finance his campaign, which likely means spending millions of his own fortune. He vows not to accept any donations from lobbyists or political action committees, or individual donations above $500.
Nicholson, who entered the race in January, will likely have access to some deep pockets, too. He has the backing of GOP mega donor Dick Uihlein, founder of Wisconsin-based business supply company Uline. Uihlein-supported super PACs spent nearly $11 million on Nicholson’s failed primary campaign for U.S. Senate in 2018, which he lost to then-state Sen. Leah Vukmir (who lost to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin in the general election).
Ramthun is remarkably soft-spoken given his reputation as a bomb thrower who calls out fellow Republicans. He thinks it’s wrong for the Republican Party of Wisconsin to endorse a gubernatorial candidate ahead of a competitive primary and calls it “disenfranchisement.”
“The no endorsement is a message to party leaders that we’re tired of being told to be rubber stamps and have the nominee dictated to us,” Ramthun told Isthmus. “The endorsement comes with funding help from the party, a lot of press, and other stuff that help separate a candidate from the pack. It pretty much puts [other GOP candidates] in a bad place…. I’m glad we stopped it.”
Ramthun isn’t worried about Michels or his money.
“He’s been living in Connecticut for 13 years and hasn’t been around,” said Ramthun, referring to an expose by conservative news outlet Wisconsin Right Now, the details of which Michels largely confirmed with conservative radio host Dan O’Donnell (although Michels insists he’s been living in Wisconsin enough to legally be considered a resident).
“Michels is doing okay in the polls because he’s spending a lot of money on TV. But we still have 30 percent of voters undecided in the Republican Party primary,” said Ramthun. “I have some pending endorsements coming and while Michels’ support will wane, mine is going to steadily grow.”
Former Madison school board candidate David Blaska, a lifelong Republican who attended this year’s convention, confirms that Kleefisch fought hard for the GOP endorsement likely because she’s concerned about Michels.