Priebus endorses Vukmir for U.S. Senate, slams Nicholson

Former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus didn’t just endorse state Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield Monday in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin.

Priebus also slammed Vukmir’s GOP rival, Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson, questioning his conservative credentials.

It was yet another display of fireworks in an increasingly testy primary as Republicans battle to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin in November.

Noting that Nicholson led College Democrats in 2000, Preibus told Jay Weber of WISN-AM (1130), “When you go from president of the College Democrats to wanting to be the U.S. Senator for the Republican Party, I think there should be some in-between time.”

Priebus was previously chairman of the Republican National Committee and chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Priebus suggested that Nicholson should have been active in fundraising for the state party and volunteering for the likes of Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson to “show us this conversion is actually real.”

Priebus said he wasn’t opposed to political outsiders but “I just find this all too convenient, all too contrived and I just don’t buy it.”

In a statement, Priebus said: “It is imperative that Wisconsin elects the right Republican to beat Tammy Baldwin this year,” and said Vukmir has “a strong record as a conservative leader in Wisconsin.”

Nicholson downplayed Preibus’ remarks during an interview with Steve Scaffidi on WTMJ-AM (620). He said his campaign has a poll showing that he leads Vukmir by 7 points in a primary matchup.

“I don’t remember Reince Priebus or others launching similar criticism at Donald Trump when he stood up to serve,” Nicholson said. “We’re winning the race. It obviously has a lot of people on the inside nervous, and that’s OK. I look forward to working with them all in the general election to beat Tammy Baldwin, which we by far are in the best position to do.”

Nicholson has received prominent endorsements from conservative groups, including one led by former diplomat John Bolton and another allied to former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Democrats appeared to welcome Priebus’ remarks. Brad Bainum, a party spokesman, said in a statement: “The GOP Senate primary has become so nasty and polarized that even Reince Priebus is breaking Wisconsin Republicans’ so-called ‘unity pledge’ to go after Kevin Nicholson’s inconsistencies and lies.”