Vukmir joins Ryan, Sensenbrenner at GOP rally
Baldwin denigrated for policies, Nicholson not mentioned by name
WAUKESHA - The sprint is on in the race for U.S. Senate.
With less than six weeks to go before the Aug. 14 Republican Party primary, state Sen. Leah Vukmir received a big boost Friday night, appearing alongside House Speaker Paul Ryan, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner and U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman.
Vukmir won the party’s official endorsement at the state convention and is now reaping the rewards by getting the backing of most of the state’s leading Republicans.
Ryan decisively entered the fray in the GOP primary that matches Vukmir against Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson.
“Leah Vukmir, because of who she is and what she has done, deserves our vote,” Ryan declared in front of an audience at the Ingleside Hotel.
Ryan did not mention Nicholson by name but chided Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin who faces reelection in the fall.
“Tammy represents the isthmus of Madison,” Ryan said, adding that “you hear all these stories these days about how the Democratic Party is moving to the far left. Tammy has been there all along.”
Grothman said Vukmir is willing to fight behind the scenes and challenge leadership.
“I know when the doors are closed on the U.S. Senate, Leah Vukmir is not going to be a doormat,” Grothman said.
Sensenbrenner said Republicans do best when there is a sharp difference with their rivals.
“Tell people that this primary is important ... so that
we can get the proper candidate to show how different Leah Vukmir and Tammy Baldwin are and to show how different Republicans and Democrats are,” Sensenbrenner said.
In her speech, Vukmir recounted Republican policy victories in the state Capitol and her hopes of taking what she calls “the Wisconsin Way” to Washington, D.C.
“We are galvanized because of what we’ve done in Wisconsin,” she said.
Vukmir said it’s “time to send Tammy Baldwin back to the private sector she doesn’t know exists.” She hit Baldwin for supporting independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-for-all proposal and looked forward to debating her on the issue.
“Now is the time to send a proven, consistent conservative to Washington,” Vukmir said.
Despite the show of force by top GOP leaders for Vukimr, her rival, Nicholson, isn’t backing down. He has taken to the road in an RV nicknamed “The Bulldog.”
The June Marquette University Law School poll showed Nicholson with a 37% to 32% lead, inside the survey’s margin of error. The poll showed both Republicans trailing Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
Nicholson campaign spokesperson Ronica Cleary said: “Polling continues to show that he’s winning this primary, and he’s doubling the fundraising of his primary opponent, because voters know that the political class will never solve the many problems that they’ve created. This election is going to come down to the voters versus the political class, and that’s why Kevin is going to win in August and November.”
The Vukmir campaign has booked ad time on radio and television. A super PAC supporting Vukmir, Wisconsin Next PAC, is also expected to have a new round of ad spending.
Democrats hit Vukmir on ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, the influential business-backed group.
“For 15 years, Leah Vukmir has worked for corporate special interests in the state Legislature,” Democratic spokesman Brad Bainum said. “Vukmir is on the board of a Koch-funded corporate special interest group, and she supports dangerous Washington Republican priorities like cutting Social Security and Medicare and gutting protections for Americans with preexisting conditions.”
The Baldwin campaign isn’t sitting idly, either. This week, the campaign released a TV ad touting her legislation to expand apprenticeships.