Chaos at the Caucus: Republican infighting erupts in Wisconsin’s 8th District

MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) – It was chaos at the caucus. The Republican Party of Wisconsin and the GOP’s 8th Congressional District spent more than $1,600 on security for a GOP Caucus meeting, where only Republicans were in attendance.

“That’s not normal. There were people who were afraid to attend the caucus,” Kirt Johnson, chair of the Kewaunee County Republican Party, said.

Johnson, who has worked in politics and public policy for over four decades, described this caucus as, “one of the most disgusting, shameful things [he has] ever witnessed.”

Both sides of the debacle labeled this caucus as the boiling-over point for the Republican Party.

“For us to be in a situation as volunteer grassroots activists who are just doing this because we love our country,” Doug Reich, chair of the Brown County Republican party, said. “To be faced with going to a meeting where there are literally county sheriffs there who have been told to potentially escort you out is beyond belief.”

It is the great divide in the party born in Wisconsin.

Ahead of the caucus, the Republican Party of Wisconsin was concerned rules were not followed for the county delegate selection process in Waupaca, Oconto and Brown Counties.

“In the past, the party and some parties will suspend the rules and just enable anyone to go to [the caucus to] represent the county,” Reich said. “In accordance with our own Constitution, we held an election.”

That election resulted in five delegates from Brown County being excluded from the caucus.

“They actually precluded certain people who were dues-paying members in good standing from actually going to the caucus,” Johnson said.

In addition, a spokesperson from the statewide party said they received complaints the three counties did not follow due process and/or submitted their list of delegates late.

As a result, the Eighth District Credentials Committee petitioned for the three county delegations to not be seated at all at the caucus, except for the five originally not elected from Brown County.

In response, the Waupaca and Oconto Republican Party filed a lawsuit against the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District Committee, receiving a restraining order at 5 p.m. on a Friday, requiring all of the delegates to be allowed to join the caucus the next morning for a vote.

“The Republican Party was born in Wisconsin. It was literally born probably 30 miles from here,” Ken Sikora, the newly elected chair of the GOP 8th Congressional District. “Here we are, what, 150 years later… fighting for the right of our elected delegates to be represented at a caucus.”

During the caucus, there was a motion to adjourn in light of the legal battle.

“The idea at that point was we really can’t do the caucus until we clarify what the legal situation is, what the status of delegates,” Johnson said.

Joel Bartel, the GOP chair of Waupaca County, then began to “rile up the crowd,” Johnson described.

“I’m more boisterous, probably, than a lot of the chairs,” Bartel said. “I went out to all the caucus, all the delegates, and I said, ‘Hey! We’re having a meeting. Come on up.’ And the policemen wouldn’t let them come up, which I don’t understand why our executive committees are closed.”

With a vote, the caucus prevailed.

“The person who was running the meeting, I think, made the judgment that this could get out of control. We could have a riot. People could get hurt,” Johnson said. “We’ll just go ahead and do the caucus.”

Ken Sikora was overwhelmingly elected to chair the GOP’s Executive Committee for the 8th CD, beating the incumbent Stephanie Soucek.

“People love a fighter. We have a lot of people behind us,” Sikora said.

Another key contention point within the party is Sikora’s record. He was convicted of battery and disorderly conduct for domestic abuse. When asked if the convictions reflect on his ability to lead, Sikora responded, “No, not at all.”

“This is the same type of tactics that they used against Donald Trump in ‘16. Same thing against Ken,” Bartel added. “The establishment was trying to create this case that he’s a bad guy, look at his record, blah, blah, blah.”

Sikora did not refute his record, but said it was just “A story,” not “The story.”

Meanwhile, other long-term Wisconsin Republicans are dismayed at the turn of events.

“It’s embarrassing that it was the Republican Party,” Johnson said. “It’s just crazy, and like I said, it was mob rule.”

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