MADISON, Wis. — New reporting from the New York Times on Friday revealed that Trump’s endorsement of Tim Michels during the Republican primary came with one condition: that Michels had to embrace Trump’s baseless election conspiracies and denial of the 2020 election results.

According to the New York Times, after word came from Mar-a-Lago that Trump was displeased with Michels’ noncommittal answers on elections in Wisconsin, Michels changed his tune in order to appease the disgraced former president. Michels has said that “President Trump would probably be president right now if we had election integrity” despite the fact that both nonpartisan and Republican-led election investigations into Wisconsin’s 2020 election have uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

By August, Michels had leaned into Trump’s preferred conspiracy theory, saying illegally decertifying the 2020 election will be “on the table” if he becomes governor. Regarding upcoming elections, Michels has toed Trump’s line, just this month refusing to commit to accepting the results of his own election in November.

Read more about the strings attached to Michels’ Trump endorsement:

The New York Times: Over 370 Republican Candidates Have Cast Doubt on the 2020 Election

[...]

“For Republican candidates who would rather talk about something other than the last presidential election, some have learned that the party’s base, and its unofficial leader, Mr. Trump, won’t let them drop the issue. It has become, in many cases, the price of entry to the Republican ticket.

“Wisconsin Republicans learned this lesson the hard way.

“In early June, Mr. Trump upended the Republican primary for governor in Wisconsin by endorsing Tim Michels, a wealthy construction magnate, over Rebecca Kleefisch, a former lieutenant governor of the state and a favorite of local Republicans.

“The endorsement apparently came with strings.

“During a July debate, Mr. Michels said he would not prioritize decertifying the 2020 election in Wisconsin, a legally implausible process that nonetheless remained a fixation of Mr. Trump.

“‘I have to focus on beating Tony Evers this fall,’ he said, referring to Wisconsin’s incumbent Democratic governor.

“A roar came from Mar-a-Lago, communicated through aides to Mr. Michels, demanding that he embrace the decertification movement, according to people familiar with the conversations.

“Mr. Michels reversed course, saying that he was ‘very, very fired up about this election integrity issue’ and pledging to consider signing a decertification bill if legislators passed one.

“By the final days of the primary, Mr. Michels was promoting the election conspiracy theory amplified in the film ‘2000 Mules’ and was promising to consider signing legislation clawing back Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes from the 2020 election.

[...]

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/tony-evers-s-sos-2022-s450.jpg“While other politicians rely on volume and insults to pit Americans against one another, Evers’ understated yet knowledgeable leadership has been a welcome relief for Wisconsin.” - WSJ 10/10/22

In dollar terms, the biggest tax cuts by far would go to the taxpayers with the highest incomes.

Evers is not dumping violent criminals on the streets, increasing crime. People get paroled by an independent commission, and they have released fewer inmates via discretionary parole than under Scott Walker.

Pushes abortion ballot that could ban abortions even in cases of rape and incest. Johnson has record of supporting personhood legislation.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/ron-johnson-quibbles-s5.jpgComplaint alleges Johnson used Senate resources for political smear attacks against challenger Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes.

During his first term, Gov. Evers funded a two-year tuition freeze across the UW system, because students and their families shouldn’t have to worry about rising education costs.

Michels “Mangled a Basic Concept,” “Widely Misses Mark” in TV Ads

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/tim-michels-wisgop-candidate-abc13-s460.jpgMichels repeatedly claims Evers has flung the prison doors open, dumping nearly 1,000 violent criminals on the streets. He knowingly fails to understand how the parole system works in his attempt to scare Wisconsin voters.

WASHINGTON, DC - In the states this week, the Democratic National Committee announced a new six-figure ad campaign on National Voter Registration Day encouraging eligible young voters on college campuses across the country to register to vote at IWILLVOTE.com.

• Roll Call: DNC registration effort targets college students 'where they are'
• In Colorado: Colorado Politics: National Democrats target young Coloradans in voter registration ad campaign
• In Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Capital-Star: First and vote: Dems to make registration play at PSU, Pitt games | Friday Morning Coffee
• In Michigan: The Gander: Look Up During This Weekend’s Football Games…and Get Inspired to Vote

And with less than 50 days until Election Day, Republicans across the country remain on defense over their extreme, anti-choice agenda.

• In Arizona: Arizona’s Family: PolitiFact: Senate candidate Blake Masters backs 15-week Arizona abortion law with no rape, incest exceptions
• In Florida: Orlando Sentinel: ‘I would rather be right and lose an election.’ Rubio stands firm on abortion ban as Democrats attack
• In Michigan: Detroit Free Press: White House slams DePerno remark, says GOP wants to 'ban contraception'
• In Michigan: MLive: About 500 Michigan doctors agree to support governor’s lawsuit challenging abortion ban
• In Missouri: The Kansas City Star: Missouri Democratic leader introduces bill to repeal state’s near-total ban on abortion
• In New Hampshire: WMUR: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Bolduc on Sen. Maggie Hassan’s abortion focus: ‘Get over it’
• In South Carolina: News 19: White House responds to Sen. Lindsey Graham's proposed abortion ban
• In Wisconsin: CBS 58: Gov. Evers calls special session to vote on 'pathway' to repeal state abortion ban

In states across the nation this week, Americans have been reading about how President Biden’s targeted student loan relief plan will help tens of millions of working- and middle-class borrowers.

• In Arkansas: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: U.S. Education Department: 365,600 Arkansans can receive break on student loans under Biden plan
• In Colorado: Colorado Newsline: White House estimates almost 700K Coloradans will benefit from student loan forgiveness
• In Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Feds: Georgia student loan relief to mostly help low-income borrowers
• In Iowa: Ames Tribune: White House says more than 400,000 Iowans eligible for student debt relief
• In Maine: Maine Beacon: White House: Nearly 280,000 Mainers qualify for student loan forgiveness
• In North Carolina: News & Observer: More student loan relief will go to low-income NC borrowers
• In Oregon: KTVZ: Nearly half-million Oregonians expected to benefit from student debt relief plan
• In Rhode Island: WPRI: 209K Rhode Islanders eligible for student debt relief; 1.2M in Mass.
• In Texas: Houston Chronicle: As Republicans fight Biden student loan forgiveness, data shows 3.3 million Texans would benefit

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to South Carolina and Wisconsin, blasting Republicans’ extreme abortion bans and encouraging students to make their voices heard in November.

• In South Carolina: Post and Courier: VP Kamala Harris in South Carolina tells HBCU students: 'Your vote is your voice'
• In Wisconsin: WPR: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about abortion ban, meets with Latino leaders during Milwaukee visit