WisDems: Election conspiracy theorists ignore results of RPW state convention, declare victory

MADISON, Wis. – After a long weekend at the Republican Party of Wisconsin dumpster fire of a state convention, all the GOP candidates for governor ended up with a loss after delegates at the convention did not endorse a gubernatorial candidate.

Despite this reality, Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, Tim Ramthun, and Tim Michels all declared victory in one way or another. In Trumpian fashion, Kleefisch went so far as to tell reporters she was “declaring victory” after failing to win the party’s endorsement, while the Nicholson, Michels, and Ramthun campaigns all heralded the party’s no endorsement vote.

This is no surprise for these extreme candidates, who have a history of denying the reality of elections. Kleefisch has called the 2020 election in Wisconsin “rigged.” Nicholson has continually cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election and voiced his desire to dismantle Wisconsin’s bipartisan election commission in order to put partisan politicians in charge of election administration. Tim Ramthun’s entire campaign is based around illegally decertifying the 2020 election, and Tim Michels previously said “maybe” the election was stolen and “President Trump probably would be president right now if we had election integrity.”

“Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, Tim Michels, and Tim Ramthun are so deeply committed to delusional election conspiracy theories, they are now lying to themselves that the RPW convention was a success,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “The reality is: the convention was a disaster and an embarrassment for the Republican Party. They failed to unite around a candidate and will now continue the slog and division for another two and a half months.”