Wisconsin primaries could shape elections in key hotspots

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) — Voters will choose the Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin on Tuesday. Marquee battlefields where former President Donald Trump continues to pressure him to overturn his 2020 defeat and endorse candidates he sees as allies. Backed Tim Michels, a self-described outsider businessman who spent $12 million in his campaign against former Vice President Pence and Lt. . Scott Walker. Both candidates have argued the 2020 election was rigged, but Kleefisch said canceling the accreditation of the results was "unconstitutional" and Michels said "everything is on the agenda." will be.”

The showdown with Democratic Governor Tony Evers is yet another of his proxy wars between Trump and Pence. They also backed rival Republican rivals in the primaries of Arizona and Georgia, while battleground states like Wisconsin could be on the ballot in the 2024 presidential election, where both men could be on the ballot.

The primary will see FBI agents search the Mar-Arago mansion as part of an investigation into whether Trump brought classified records from the White House to his Florida residence. two people familiar with the matter said. Associated Press.

In the state's Senate election, Lieutenant Mandela Burns is likely to face Democratic nominee and one of Trump's most vocal supporters, Republican Senator Ron Johnson. Moon. The matchup will be one of the last set before his November general election, which will take control of the Senate, which is currently split 50-50, and the Democrats will give Wisconsin the best chance to switch seats. See him one of the opportunities.

Trump is also the state's most powerful Republican, and has lashed out at State Speaker Robin Voss, who rejected pressure from the former president to revoke the accreditation of the 2020 results. Endorsed an unknown challenger.

Tuesday's results, with Republicans and Democrats split almost evenly, have far-reaching implications beyond Wisconsin, a state where 2022 is seen as a precursor to his 2024 presidential election. affect. The person elected governor this fall will be able to serve in the presidential election and sign or veto election law changes passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. Incoming governors and senators can also influence decisions on issues ranging from abortion to education to taxes.

"We're her 50-50 state, so every race in Wisconsin is, of course, somehow decided by a few percentage points. will be,” said the former. Democratic Governor Jim Doyle. "And these few percentage points in Wisconsin could determine what the course of the country will be in the years to come."

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Minnesota Republicans Members are expected to pick Dr. Scott Jensen, a state Republican-backed COVID-19 vaccine skeptic, to face off with Gov. Tim Waltz. Vermont is the only state without a woman on its legislative delegation and is likely to nominate a woman for the state's only House seat. The winner will replace Rep. Peter Welch, who is contesting the seat that retired Sen. Patrick Leahy has held for more than 40 years. And in Connecticut, Republicans will choose to face second-term Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.

But most of the attention is in Wisconsin, where Trump has continued to pressure him to reverse his 2020 Joe Biden victory. Four years after Trump narrowly won the state by about the same margin, Biden won by nearly 21,000 votes. The 2020 results are supported by two partial recounts, a bipartisan audit, a review by a conservative law firm, and multiple lawsuits.

Michels and Kleefisch both , says overturning the 2020 election results is not a priority. But they dismantled the bipartisan commission that ran Wisconsin elections, forced voters to have someone else turn in their absentee ballots, and voted for ballot drop-boxes in places other than staffed offices. said it supports banning

Evers has made voting and elections the focus of his own campaign, telling voters that he is the only candidate who stands for democracy, saying: We rarely count votes." of Wisconsin. ''

Kleefisch, a former television reporter who served Walker for two terms, including when he effectively ended collective bargaining for most civil servants in the state in 2011, is a large-scale It sparked protests and failed recall attempts. She said she won a statewide victory in November and is ready to enact conservative priorities, including increasing police investment, expanding school choice programs and implementing a flat income tax.

Mr. Pence, who ran against Mr. Creefish last week, was the U.S. gubernatorial candidate who has "proven to be more capable, more experienced and more conservative than he is." ' said there was no other person.

Michels is a co-owner of Wisconsin's largest construction company and pitched his work to build his family's business. He lost to Democratic Senator Russ Feingold in his 2004 Senate election and has become a major donor to Republican politicians.

At Friday's rally, Trump hailed Michels as "an incredible success his story." He criticized Kleefisch as part of a "failed establishment" and also took aim at Vos.

Michels pledged to "maintain the integrity of the election here in Wisconsin." He also said he would bring "law and order" back to Wisconsin, criticized the handling of Evers' schools and blamed Biden for the rising prices.

Republican states Rep. Tim Ramsan is also making a long-shot bid for gubernatorial election, with his campaign centering on withdrawing Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes for Biden.

Barnes has dominated the Senate race after rivals, including Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, quit racing. A former state legislator from Milwaukee and Wisconsin's first black senator, Burns says he wants to help rebuild the middle class and protect abortion rights. His 1973 ruling legalizing abortion across the country was overturned by the Supreme Court in June, resulting in state abortion bans.

The race against Johnson is one of his few Senate toss-ups, already with Burns, the billionaire and former owner of a plastic company who was first elected as part of the Tea His party movement. It was a battle between Johnsons.

Burns backs tax bills that benefit wealthy donors and his own companies, promotes "barbaric conspiracy theories" about his COVID-19 vaccine. , attacked Johnson for trying to deliver the ballot. From fake Republican Electors to Pence on the day of the Capitol Riot.

Johnson and Republicans point out that progressive Vermont Senators Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren support Burns, noting that Burns is moving to Wisconsin. criticized for being too liberal. They resurface moments from Burns' past, including a photo of him holding his T-shirt that says "Abolish ICE," or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence are divided over their candidacy for governor, with mixed results. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (who also rejected President Trump's pressure to reverse his 2020 defeat) defeated former US Senator David Perdue, a pro-Trump challenger, to win the endorsement of Pence. . But Kari Lake won the Arizona primary last week with Trump's backing, defeating the Pence-backed candidate.

Adam Steen, the candidate Trump backed to fight the boss, said he would withdraw proof of Biden's victory.

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Burnett in Chicago reported from.