Tim Michels running for Wisconsin governor, joins Republican field

MADISON – A rich pipeline building govt is becoming a member of the Wisconsin race for governor with simply 4 months to beat floor laid for months by his Republican opponents within the August major election. 

Tim Michels, co-owner of the Brownsville-based Michels Company and U.S. Military veteran, enters the GOP major for governor almost 20 years after his final statewide marketing campaign — a 2004 loss to then-U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold. 

Michels, who lives in Waukesha County, has the flexibility to pour thousands and thousands into a brief major marketing campaign which he begins with little identify recognition in Wisconsin. He filed paperwork for his marketing campaign on Friday and has bought adverts to run across the state starting Monday. 

He faces former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, U.S. Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun of Campbellsport on an Aug. 9 major poll. 

Michels didn’t instantly reply to an interview request.

The Republican major subject has quadrupled since January when a high Republican sought to assist clear the sphere for Kleefisch by telling Nicholson publicly to not be a part of the race to defeat Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers. 

Within the 4 months since Meeting Speaker Robin Vos’ pronouncement, the get together’s base has come disillusioned with its leaders, fracturing over get together priorities and tips on how to discover the very best candidates to place ahead.

Nicholson and Ramthun have responded by adopting a marketing campaign message of being exterior of the interior circle of Madison-centered politics to attract a distinction with Kleefisch, who served as former Gov. Scott Walker’s lieutenant governor and has helped legislative leaders recruit candidates. 

Michels, 59, has largely stayed out of the general public eye since his 2004 U.S. Senate race. In 2021, he appeared at a information convention with Republican members of Congress to induce President Joe Biden to rethink his choice to halt building on the Keystone XL pipeline. 

Michels Corp. was among the many Wisconsin-based firms awarded contracts to construct the pipeline.

Through the marketing campaign, Michels must handle how he’ll deal with work his household enterprise does with the state and the way he might keep away from conflicts of curiosity if he’s elected. Michels Corp. obtained greater than $660 million in funds from the state during the last 5 fiscal years, in line with state data.

Earlier this 12 months, Michels and his siblings donated $15 million to MCW Most cancers Middle for uncommon cancers analysis, a present impressed by his daughter Sophie’s expertise battling a uncommon pediatric mind most cancers.

Patrick Marley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report. 

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Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Observe her on Twitter at @MollyBeck.