MADISON, Wis. – It does not matter that Tim Michels chose an empty podium over attending the first Republican primary debate last night, because he has made it clear that he is as much of a radical as Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, and Tim Ramthun.
An overview of the extreme positions Michels has staked out includes:
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At his announcement event, Michels referenced recently vetoed bills, saying [3:35],“There’s a bunch of bills that were put in front of Tony Evers, and he vetoed them all. I’m asking the legislature to reintroduce those bills. And I will sign those on day one […]” Some of the bills vetoed by the Governor include: one to allow loaded firearms on school grounds, making it easier for parents to sue schools, and increasing bureaucracy by breaking up Milwaukee’s public school system.
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When asked if he supports common sense gun safety measures like expanded background checks, Michels said, “I don’t have that answer today.”
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He believes “marriage should be between a man and a woman.”
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Michels refused to condemn the violence of the January 6 insurrection saying “there was clearly a lot of people that showed up with the original intent of hearing what President Trump had to say,” adding that there was “frustration over the election results.”
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He wants to dissolve the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
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Michels has also refused to say that he would follow the will of the people and certify the results of the 2024 presidential election if he were governor.
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Michels also highlighted his support for a bill that would encourage frivolous lawsuits against local school districts in his education blueprint.
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He wanted to defund public schools to allow more dollars to pay for private schools.
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On abortion, Michels supports extreme bans even in cases of rape and incest, arguing that it was “not unreasonable” to force a pregnant rape victim to “go through the birth.”
“Tim Michels may have just been an empty podium last night, but we don’t need a debate to know he is too extreme for Wisconsinites,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “Tim Michels can’t hide from his radical views. In his short time in this primary he has staked out the most extreme positions on education, abortion, same sex marriage, guns, and more. Tim Michels is too radical and wrong for Wisconsin.”
