President, former aide trade insults
Omarosa Manigault Newman and Trump faced off Monday in a clash that involved her explosive tell-all book.
MADISON, Wis. — President Donald Trump’s call for a boycott of HarleyDavidson motorcycles forced Gov. Scott Walker and other Republicans to either criticize the president or stick with the Milwaukee-based company just ahead of Tuesday’s primary where Trump allegiance has been a central focus.
Trump on Sunday tweeted it was “great” that “many” Harley owners planned to boycott the company if manufacturing moves overseas, continuing a steel tariff dispute he’s had since June with the company.
Walker, Wisconsin’s most
prominent Harley owner who faces a tough re-election bid in November, issued a statement that did not directly address the boycott call.
“I want Harley Davidson to prosper here in the state of Wisconsin,” Walker said. “And one of the best ways for that to happen is to do what the president has called for and that is to get to no tariffs.”
Trump’s attacks on Harley have put Walker in a tough spot politically as he runs for a third term in November. Eight Democrats were running in Tuesday’s primary for a chance to take on Walker who is seeking a third term.
“By attacking Wisconsin workers to cover for failed
economic policy President Trump took a page right out of Scott Walker’s playbook,” said Mahlon Mitchell, one of the eight candidates.
Another Democratic candidate, Kelda Roys, accused Walker of “cowering before Trump” and the president’s “attempts to destroy an iconic Wisconsin business.”
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is also up for re-election in November, was more forceful than Walker in her reaction to the Trump tweet.
“You can’t run our economy with tweets,” Baldwin tweeted to Trump. “Wisconsin businesses like #harleydavidson need better trade deals, not tweets and trade wars.”
Former U.S. Marine Kevin
Nicholson and state Sen. Leah Vukmir were running in the Republican primary for chance to take on Baldwin. Both were running as strong Trump supporters, but the president has not endorsed in the race.
In July, Harley-Davidson said it expects new tariffs to cost the company as much as $100 million annually.
A spokesman for HarleyDavidson declined to comment both Sunday and Monday.
Polls have shown the Senate race to be a dead heat. State Superintendent Tony Evers had a doubledigit lead in the Democratic gubernatorial primary based on polls in the months leading up to the election.