A Duffy candidacy would scramble GOP gubernatorial field
MADISON – Former President Donald Trump’s plea to former congressman Sean Duffy to mount a run for governor has scrambled the race and raised the possibility of an intense Republican primary.
Duffy, who recently moved to New Jersey after spending eight years representing Wisconsin’s Northwoods in Congress, isn’t saying what he plans to do. Political operatives and GOP sources offer wildly different assessments of how likely he would be to get in the race against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
By simply raising the idea, Trump has reshaped yet another race.
Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch has had the primary race largely to herself after longtime lobbyist Bill McCoshen decided not to run after spending months considering a campaign.
Marine veteran and former U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson has said he will decide soon whether to get in the race for governor or U.S. Senate once Ron Johnson decides whether he will seek a third term. Political newcomer Jonathan Wichmann is already in the race and state Rep. John Macco of Ledgeview has filed paperwork to launch a campaign but hasn’t yet announced whether he’s in.
Duffy — a Hayward native who has embraced Trump-style politics and still owns a home and property in Sawyer County — could force other candidates to rethink their strategies for the primary if he got into the race.
But how much consideration Duffy is giving to launching a campaign is unclear. While three sources said he is considering returning to Wisconsin politics, others said the move is unrealistic. “He is definitely thinking about it. He’s talking with family and friends and will make a decision soon,” one person close to Duffy and familiar with his thinking said. “He obviously has not knocked down the suggestion — he’s taking it seriously.”
Another source said Duffy’s consideration was not “particularly serious” at this point.
“I think it’s mostly a case of, when something like this happens, you have to pause and stew on the idea for a little bit,” the source said.
Duffy has not returned phone calls since Trump issued his statement on Saturday.
Trump’s influence in Wisconsin Republican politics was last exercised this summer when the former president released a statement on the first night of the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s annual convention criticizing Vos and other Republican legislative leaders for not doing more to investigate the outcome of the 2020 election.
In response, Senate President Chris Kapenga wrote Trump a two-page letter seeking a correction but also appealing to the former president.
“I feel I need to respond even though you will likely never hear of it, as the power of your pen to mine is like Thor’s hammer to a Bobby pin,” Kapenga wrote, later noting he was wearing Trump socks and inviting Trump to a play a round of golf.
Vos announced the next day he was directing the Assembly to hire former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to review the election, a contract for which Gableman signed that day. About two months later, Vos met with Trump on a private plane to discuss the probe.
Vos in that time has grown more supportive of the idea that the election needs further scrutiny.
Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.