Let the Hyperbole Fly and the Kool-Aid flow as the Real GOP Primary Battle Begins

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May 30, 2023

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Welcome to the 2024 GOP Presidential Primary battle; prepare your popcorn, as this primary will be like watching the political version of the Hunger Games. I am not exaggerating; it will be brutal.

With the official entry of Ron Desantis into the Presidential hunt, it is now a two-man race between Ron Desantis and Donald Trump. Everyone else in the race is now officially an ‘also-ran.’ Sure, they can still compete for the coveted VP slot, but remaining in the Presidential hunt is futile.

Recently, I wrote a column where I made the case that it’s for Trump to pass on the MAGA Torch. I was also crystal clear that I will GLADLY support Trump if he’s the nominee. Moreover, I have not made a final decision yet.

Sadly, not everyone is so pragmatic, and the Kool-aid is flowing through a firehose. The loudest supporters act like their candidate walks on water while they ignore that both men have flaws and both can be with risky choices. But, of course, primaries are for sorting all of that out. Right?

It’s only been a few days since Desantis announced, and the ‘hyperbolic ‘Spin Machines’ are in overdrive for both camps. The rhetoric is oozing with righteous indignation, hyperbole, and double standards.

Unfortunately for Ron Desantis, his official announcement on Twitter was met with technical issues, giving the perception of a rocky start. Trump’s support base immediately pounced on the perceived snafu and began the narrative of ‘incompetence’ against Desantis.

Not to rain on the Trump fan parade, but context is essential. Supporters are so desperate to derail Trump’s only real threat that they quickly grasp at any tiny straw they can find. The Twitter glitch is nothing more than a childish talking point with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Desantis.

Let’s talk about that inconsequential Twitter glitch for a moment. It’s NOT a negative at all, much to Trump’s chagrin. The Desantis announcement was so popular that the sheer volume of people tuning in literally crashed the Twitter servers. Plus, no presidential candidate has ever tried this new, out-of-the-box way of announcing.

Do Trump supporters really want to call attention to that? Be careful what you wish for.

This is nothing new, however; the ‘die-hard’ Trump supporters are always quick to go after anyone who opposes him; if you do not support Trump, you are not a patriot. They run around acting like Trump’s Presidency was ‘flawless’ and ‘how dare anyone else primary him,’ because he’s ‘entitled’ to the job. Sound familiar? We recently saw this entitlement mentality in the Wisconsin Governor and Supreme Court races.

Yes, Donald was a great President and accomplished some amazing things while only really having two years of a full term. His SUCCESSFUL administration gave us a roaring economy, Conservative SCOTUS appointees, and hundreds of Federal Judicial appointees. We also got significant tax reforms, getting our NATO allies to pay their share, the USMCA trade agreement, and the Abraham Accords, to name a few.

That said, we cannot take the good while ignoring the bad. Trump was often his worst enemy, said and Tweeted some foolish things, and failed on several fronts. Tony Faucci or ballooning deficits, anyone? Moreover, we cannot ignore that Trump has completely changed his rhetoric from ‘Make America Great Again’ to ‘Make Trump Great Again.’

It is all about 2020, with very little on what he plans to do next term. Most of his blind supporters seem to be ignoring this fact. At this point, NOTHING WILL CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF 2020, and in most cases, we aren’t in power to make the necessary changes anyway. Like it or not, 2024 matters; 2020 does not. THIS is the hand that we have been dealt; get over it.

Unfortunately, this does not stop his supporters from grasping at every straw to derail Ron Desantis. Some are saying he’s really a Democrat in sheep’s clothing. Huh? They have not been paying attention to Florida under his leadership; his Conservative creds are SOLID.

The hyperbolic rhetoric does not stop there; a rumor that Ron Desantis cheated on his wife has emerged over the past few days. So what? Even if he did, it’s not like Trump is the Pillar of a pure Marriage, and rightfully so; we were willing to look beyond Trump’s transgressions and voted for him in 2016 and 2020. Why? BECAUSE NONE OF IT MATTERS! For either candidate.

But wait, you didn’t think this was just about Trump supporters, did you?

In reality, not only are Trump supporters acting like they are still in high school, we are seeing Desantis sycophants drinking their own flavor of Kool-Aid.

They chastise Trump supporters for their unwavering ‘cultish’ support of their candidate. Desantis supporters quickly take issue with Trump supporters acting like Trump can do no wrong. Well, remember what they say about glass houses? Desantis supporters are just as guilty of this cultish behavior toward their candidate.

Desantis supporters are incessantly bloviating about how ‘perfect’ of a governor he is and will be the ‘perfect’ President. They are running around basically saying that if you do not support Desantis, you are not an ‘acceptable’ Republican. How dare Trump run when he’s already lost before.’

We have even seen the re-emergence of the ‘Liberals want Trump because he’s easy to beat’ rhetoric. WRONG! Remember 2016? That was the same ‘logic’ the never-Trumpers used. How did that work out for them? As for 2020, look at everything they had to do to ‘beat’ Trump; change laws, change voting methods, etc.

Of course, some people have grown battle-weary of the Democrat obsession to get Donald Trump and are naive enough to think it will stop with Desantis. Are you kidding? It will be just as bad or worse. Desantis embodies MAGA and has implemented much of it in Florida. The Left hates him, and if they manage to take Trump down, he’s next.

Conveniently, most Desantis supporters ignore this reality simply because Desantis is either ‘perfect’ or is seen as the Pied Piper who will ‘deliver the Republicans from Trump.’ Yes, Desantis has also emerged as the favorite of the ‘never-Trump wing of the party. While a candidate cannot control who supports him, this certainly will be something Desantis will have to overcome if he’s to be successful.

Now to rain on the Desantis parade a bit more. Let’s address the ‘conservative perfection’ rhetoric a bit. Desantis is the Governor in a state where Republicans control EVERYTHING. As I said before, context matters. Yes, he has an excellent track record, but even Jeb Bush would have done this well while having complete control. We really have no idea how he will lead with a much more divided Federal government. Also, we have a lot we do not know about him yet. I’m hopeful, and time will tell.

History shows us that we must be careful with what we wish for. We have seen this before; a ‘perfect’ candidate emerges, only to become mediocre. Remember George W. Bush? He was a solid Governor in Texas, only to flop as President. Yes, we all hope Desantis proves he will be another governor who emerges as a great President, like Ronald Reagan, did, but that’s not guaranteed.

Hopefully, Desantis can be MAGA Reagan, or Donald Trump can deliver MAGA Chapter 2, but the process set up by our founders needs to play out. Both men have every right to run, and it’s ok to have a spirited primary season.

Desantis supporters are not being realistic by thinking they can hit Trump with hyperbolic rhetoric and not expect him to respond. Seriously, they actually expect him to sit and take it, and if he responds, he’s acting like a ‘spoiled child.’ Why is Trump the only one held to that higher standard? This apparent double standard is so hypocritical.

The same goes for Trump supporters hitting Desantis with their hyperbole. Desantis can and should respond as well. That said, Desantis needs to temper his response with common sense. Ask any 2016 candidate who tried to take Trump on his playground. To his credit, Desantis so far has played it brilliantly.

Politics can be a battle; it’s not a game for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, hard-fought primaries do let us see what candidates are made of. Trump has a significant advantage here because he has already withstood relentless attacks since coming down that escalator in 2015. He fights back and usually wins.

So far, Desantis has proven he can take it as well, so his supporters need to stop whining about Trump’s namecalling and how extraordinary or unprecedented it is. We all lived through the 2016 primary battle. THIS IS NOTHING NEW; this is Trump being Trump. Remember, Ron Desantis is choosing to run, so he must weather the storm to beat the surging Donald Trump. Will he continue to fight on, or will he buckle to the continuous pressure that awaits him? This will be tested, and rightfully so.

Both men have appeal because they have rolled up their sleeves and gotten in the mud with the Left, and both will certainly get muddy from the right as well. We shouldn’t be looking for a ‘nice guy’ for President because nothing these men throw at each other will compare to what the Democrats have in store for the eventual nominee.

In the end, names will be called, feelings will be hurt, and one man will lose; what matters most is sucking it up and supporting the winner against an increasingly extremist Democrat Party. NOTHING JUSTIFIES ENABLING THE OTHER SIDE TO WIN. NOTHING.

If we do not unite, WE WILL LOSE!

There’s nothing wrong with hotly contested primaries; some years are worse than others. Anyone who complains about them, simply does not understand good old-fashioned American political history.

Face it, 2024 will not be the first epic political battle and will not be the last. As long as the party leadership does not interfere, the nominee should be who most primary voters want. Remember that Reagan vs. Bush in 1980 was a hard-fought primary, but in the end, Republicans unified and won.

Perhaps we will end up with a ‘unity’ ticket of Trump/Desantis? It would be interesting if it’s even possible, but we shall see. Until then, let’s have the primary battle, but let’s not lose sight that while we are busy fighting each other, the Democrats are busy uniting and ballot-harvesting us out of existence. Let that sink in for a moment.

Let the best candidate win, and may the odds ever be in your favor.

Senator Tammy Baldwin is Vulnerable if She Actually Runs in 2024

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Paris Procopis

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May 26, 2023

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Recently, I wrote about Sarah Godlewski being much more visible since Governor Tony Evers appointed her to assume the Wisconsin Secretary of State role after Doug LaFollette ‘suddenly’ resigned. I discussed the possibility that she was preparing to run for Senator Tammy Baldwin’s Senate seat in 2024.

Since then, Baldwin has declared that she is indeed running for re-election. While I still do not buy it, let’s assume she is running. This time around, she will be more much vulnerable than ever before.

The Joe Biden Factor

The embattled President has officially declared that he’s running for re-election, and Democrat enthusiasm for Biden is tanking hourly. Susan Rice has quit, heavy hitters like Hillary Clinton have publicly expressed age concerns, and even the Liberal media is turning on him.

We now have Democrat heavy hitters like Robert F Kennedy, Jr. running for President and California Governor Gavin Newsome posturing for a likely run. On top of that, the Michelle Obama name is being thrown around nearly everywhere— not a sign of Biden’s re-election excitement.

Just look at some recent polls; there is a pattern:

BIden’s approval ratings are anemic and Many Democrats are not excited about his running again. Just take a look at the latest Marquette Poll showing that 57% of Democrats do not want Biden to run; it has increased since a high of 51% in January:

Because of the usual ‘trickle-down’ effect of Presidential races, this will most definitely affect Baldwin’s Senate re-election hopes. Lack of enthusiasm in a swing state like Wisconsin could be an essential factor.

Inflation

Inflation hits close to home, and almost everyone blames the federal government. Unfortunately, Tammy Baldwin has been a rubber stamp for every bad Washington DC policy that has led to this runaway inflation mess. She is a lazy Senator, even by Democrat standards.

People are hurting out there. Prices are up, discretionary spending is down, and discontent is growing. Pocketbook issues like inflation will directly affect Tammy’s chances. Tammy Baldwin’s hands are all over this, and there is no hiding her culpability.

Global Strife

As we look at the world today, it’s plain to see that Biden’s foreign policy is failing. China is saber-rattling over Taiwan and has become emboldened to take the country. Moreover, the inept handling of the Russia / Ukraine situation is edging the world closer to nuclear catastrophe.

Once again, Baldwin has rubber-stamped EVERYTHING, including giving Billions of dollars and substantial equipment aid to Ukraine; while Americans are struggling, she is financing another country’s GDP, to say nothing of increasing tensions with Russia.

All Republicans need to do is remind people of this inept foreign policy and reckless spending that she has fully supported.

Democrat Party of Wisconsin’s Overconfidence

Much like the Republicans in 2018, the Democrats are starting to get cocky.

The Republicans had such a long winning streak in Wisconsin that the party became complacent. The arrogant assumption was that Scott Walker would be a shoo-in; there was no way he could lose. Well, he did lose, and the Democrats were able to take the Governor’s office with one of the most boring candidates in Wisconsin’s history.

The Dems seem to be channeling the attitude of the 2018 Republicans. They have accomplished some significant victories since 2018 and feel unstoppable. This is something Republicans can and should capitalize on with the Baldwin race.

Just read Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler’s own words, where he said, ‘there is a reason so many Republican politicians are hiding under a rug instead of running for U.S. Senate: They know that Wisconsinites trust Tammy Baldwin.’

Winkler has not been paying attention; Republicans have a deep bench, there are at least five contenders whose names have been mentioned as Republican challengers, and there are more to come.

We can use this arrogance to set the Democrats back to what they were in 2010 IF we play our cards right and do what it takes to win. Of course, this means we have to unite behind the ultimate Republican Primary winner.

We also need to focus on things like early voting and ballot harvesting. I recognize that Republicans feel strongly about having ‘Election Day’ and not ‘Election Season’ and that all voting is in person. Unfortunately, this is the hand we are dealt; we cannot focus on the hand WE WISH WE HAD. Nothing will change if we are not in power to change it.

Don’t get me wrong, it will not be easy, but we CAN BEAT Tammy Baldwin; there is a path. Of course, this dynamic changes if she drops out or if Biden is not the Democrat nominee. Both are still genuine possibilities, and either way, Republicans must adapt. Stay tuned.

Wisconsin Republican Party Elitism, Sour Grapes, and Draconian Temper Tantrums

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Paris Procopis

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May 14, 2023

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In Wisconsin, Republican Party Elites do not like losing power; they chastise you and work to banish you if you dare challenge them or do not think as they do. Their power is like a drug, more addicting than heroin, and their elitist attitude spreads faster than Covid-19. In Wisconsin, it has trickled down into Republican Party volunteer positions throughout the state.

Since last August, we have seen those elites work harder to save control of their little piece of the party leadership than they worked to beat Tony Evers. Rebecca Kleefisch and her merry band of supporters in leadership had sour grapes after her primary loss; they then acted like spoiled children and did NOTHING to help beat Evers.

In fact, many set out to sabotage the effort altogether. They saw Michels as a threat to their power. Since his loss in November, they have been working around the clock to purge the party of any supporters in leadership and anyone else they deem undesirable or non-compliant.

Unfortunately, this toxic disease of Republican Party elitism and sour grapes we have been seeing since August is spreading. As we already know, this elitism attitude has already been lurking in some Conservative media and County Party leadership circles, like in Racine County, but it has also made its way into Dane County

If you remember, a few people showed courage and were able to beat the Party elites in Dane County. They mounted a challenge and were able to take over the Republican Party of Dane County fully; the people spoke and did so in epic fashion. The Elites were unhappy, but people wanted change and got it.

Continuing the trend, Billie Johnson mounted a similar challenge in the 2nd Congressional District. The race for the 2nd CD was not bitter and divisive, but it was convincing; 68% of attendees voted for change. Naturally, some people were unhappy, but that comes with the territory.

Billie Johnson traveled to attend the monthly breakfast of the Green County Republican Party. As the incoming Chairman of the 2nd Congressional District, it would seem like a good idea, right? Well, not according to Green County Chairman John Fandrich.

Fandrich had Johnson escorted out of the building by a local law enforcement officer. Really? Why would Fandrich do this anyway? What would be so bad to require a likable man like Billie Johnson to be escorted out, and by law enforcement to boot? It’s simple, he won. Fandrich supported the incumbent and Johnson’s victory inspired a Greta moment in Fandrich; HOW DARE YOU!

Primaries or contested party elections are fine as long as OUR candidates don’t destroy each other, making the winner less electable in a general election. But it’s time to unite when the primary or contested party election is over. Candidates unwilling to unite should be pushed aside because they demonstrate they are in this for the wrong reason.

Jennifer Dorow gave the best example of how to handle a primary defeat and rally the troops for the good of the team. Too bad John Fandrich didn’t learn the lesson she taught.

We NEVER win elections when we can’t unite; such actions make things much more difficult. Fandrich actually runs a well-organized GOP unit, a professional operation for a county party. He should know better, but as we saw last August, bitterness can be one hell of a drug.

Draconian does not even begin to describe this. And it gets much worse. A motion was passed to essentially banish the incoming leadership of the 2nd Congressional District Republican Party unless ‘invited’ by the leadership. Fandrich doubled down, effectively banished all the 2nd District officers, and urged other County parties to do the same. He is essentially trying to delegitimize the DECISIVE caucus results. Here’s the wording of the motion:

‘I make a motion that unless otherwise invited by the Green County Republican Party Chairman or Vice-Chairman, the new Second District leadership shall not attend any of our events or meetings. The Green County Chairman and Vice-Chairman reserve the right to deny admittance to anyone deemed an impediment to the stated mission of our party. We encourage all Wisconsin Republican parties to pass similar amendments to ensure the validity and integrity of their resident county party members!’
Republican Party of WisconsinRepublican Party of Dane County Republican Party of Green County Republican Party of Wisconsin – 6th District WI Republican 2nd Congressional District Republican Party of Walworth County Republican Party Milwaukee County- North Branch’

Dane County Republicans, lead by Chairman Brandon Maly and others, have issued a joint statement condemning the actions Fandrich and the motion. In response, and an apparent attempt to gaslight and hide behind his membership, Fandrich has also issued a statement denying Johnson was escorted out by law enforcement.

Someone is clearly manipulating the facts, but regardless of who escorted Johnson out, HE WAS NOT ALLOWED IN. Was outgoing 2nd District Chairman Kim Babler ever denied entrance? I’m thinking no, and I am sensing a hint of arrogance in the response. Besides, it’s important not to forget the fact that a repressive resolution was presented AND PASSED. This is a HUGE problem.

This reminds me of a column I wrote some time ago describing the Democrat Party as a bunch of compliant drones who all share the same collective thought. I also mentioned that the Republican Party is slowly working it’s way toward this ‘collective’ mentality the Democrats have. If you are a Star Trek fan, it’s just like the Borg. You must comply and resistance is futile. Just like 1984, only the party apparatus becomes ‘Big Brother.’

This Elitist Republican idea that ‘unfavorable’ people must comply or be silenced, ‘kicked out’ of the Party, or denied entrance to the ‘club,’ is draconian at best. Sadly, it’s being bantered about by people who are supposed to be Conservatives and their complicit media mouthpieces. This type of forced rhetoric would surly make the likes of Joseph Stalin glow with pride. Last time I checked, we still have Free Speech in America. This freedom includes challenging Republican Party Leadership in Wisconsin.

This will be a true test of Chairman Brian Schimming’s leadership abilities. No, he did not create this mess, he inherited it, but it falls on him to ‘herd the cats.’ I hope he can do it because this sour grapes mentality needs to stop.

Some people want to take the easy way out by saying they do not have a horse in this race. Unfortunately, this sets a dangerous precedent and affects us all. How deep or high will it go if we do not stop it now?

Actions like this go far beyond political discourse. If this continues, whoever the Republican Presidential nominee is may as well kiss Wisconsin goodbye. In the end, remind yourself who we are all fighting against and what we are fighting for.

‘If Republicans do not change, we will have to change our logo from an elephant to a dinosaur.’
Billie Johnson

Below is a Tweet from the Dane County Party, they shared a statement condemning the action by Green County Republicans

We fully condemn today's violation of CD2 Chairman-elect Billie Johnson's constitutional rights at the Green County GOP monthly breakfast.

Mr. Johnson was unfairly escorted out of the meeting before he could even register. We demand an apology. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ScIbmlmKqK
— Republican Party of Dane County (@danerepublicans) May 13, 2023

Statement from Green County Chariman John Fandrich

Burning Bridges, Unchecked Narcissism, and the Baseless Complaint Against Tim Michels

By

Paris Procopis

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May 7, 2023

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a column expressing my thoughts on why Republicans keep losing state-wide elections in Wisconsin. Strictly focusing entirely on candidates is failing to get to the root of the problem. It turns out that many people agreed with my analysis, as that was one of my most successful columns to date.

I was so hoping that column would have been my last on the 2022 election, but alas, it is not. We are now seven months past the November 2022 elections, and people are still refusing to move on.

Last week, a complaint was filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission by my former colleague Bob Dohnal, of the Wisconsin Conservative Digest. In the complaint Dohnal ALLEGED, WITHOUT EVIDENCE, that Tim Michels and some of his campaign staff offered to pay him $100k for doing rallies, etc.

Talk about burning a bridge.

I was hoping to say out of the fray, but unfortunately, I am compelled to talk about it. Due to my former affiliation with the Digest, some people have asked me if I was involved with the complaint. I AM ABSOLUTELY NOT INVOLVED!

Many of you know, I had been backing away from the Digest long before this. Differences of opinion and how he treated people in his circle continued to strain our relationship. I went off on my own and on May 7, 2022, I launched News Undone, so I can continue to be a voice without getting drowned out by useless nonsense. Though I did continue to help with some minimal computer work and spoke at the Chicken Burn in August.

It is well known that anyone who dares to disagree publically with Dohnal will suffer the wrath of hundreds of emails to hundreds of people saying how ‘awful’ you are. With this BASELESS ETHICS COMPLAINT, he’s finally gone well beyond the realm of email rants and has gone head-on into the twilight zone; something needs to be said.

I cannot express my disappointment with this BASELESS claim and the character attacks on Tim Michels and his campaign staffers. Simply put, I DO NOT SUPPORT IT AT ALL; the complaint is wrong and blatantly false. As Dan O’Donnell of WISN said on his radio show last week, Dohnal had proven NOTHING and now needs to drop this utter nonsense.

This vendetta baffles me because the complaint says he only did events because of this ALLEGED financial promise by Michels and his people. Really?

He’s been doing events for decades without the help of any candidates; what made 2022 any different? Is it safe to assume he’s not done any events since November? Of course not; it’s what he does. In fact, he has continued to do events since and even has one coming up on May 13th. As Ross Perot is famous for saying, ‘this dog don’t hunt.’

As most everyone else was busy trying to regroup after the painful loss in November, Dohnal has been sending hundreds of emails incessantly bashing Tim Michels and others on his campaign for not paying the ALLEGED $100k and not running the campaign as he dictated.

After all, Dohnal has such a ‘stellar track record’ of winning elections, at least according to him. ANd let’s be realistic, another rally at Clifford’s, in front of the same 250 choir members, would not have helped Michels win the election, especially at that price tag.

Consider this logically for a moment; any verbal agreement is beyond doubtful. Tim Michels has been successful in business by being shrewd. NOBODY, with his experience, would enter into a ‘verbal’ agreement for that type of money, NOBODY. It would have been in writing.

Because of this idiotic filing, the courts will be tasked with sorting through this mess. I suspect that Dohnal will be dealt a major embarrassment. Unfortunately, this nonsense will also embarrass the Conservative cause in Wisconsin because of the bad publicity.

But wait! There’s more!

Dohnal has incessantly ranted that Michels ran ‘the worst campaign in Wisconsin history.’ Wait, what? The Worst campaign in Wisconsin history? NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!

It’s imperative to focus on Dohnal’s point of how ‘awful’ the Michels campaign was because I’ve heard other Michels haters say similar things. When they aren’t busy trying to ‘purge’ any Michels people from campaigns and leadership positions, these haters still bash him for daring to get in the race in the first place. And they never seem to Back Dohnal up on his email rants; not a peep. But that’s a different story.

It’s time for me to set the record straight…YET AGAIN. I know this will ruffle the feathers of those who refuse to let 2022 go, but facts are facts.

I got to know several people who worked on the Michels campaign, and they are good, talented, hardworking people. Tim Michels busted his butt as a candidate and selflessly gave his time, talents, and treasure to run. Besides, he has been a champion of Conservative causes in Wisconsin for a long time and will continue to do so. He should be thanked, not slandered and bashed.

Clearly, Tim and the campaign were not perfect, but they fought hard. I have written several columns about it; no need to go into detail here. In reality, you can ALWAYS do more and do things better in a political campaign, but this is not the purpose of this column.

Instead, let’s make it really easy and just focus on election results, shall we?

Below are the results of several Governor, Senate, and Supreme Court elections since 2006, where the Republican/Conservative lost. Look closely at the numbers:

This shows an average Republican/Conservative loss of 7.9% and 144,493 votes.

We see here that the Michels Campaign OUTPERFORMED ALL the other candidates who were challengers to incumbents. He got closer, even after having the impact of Trump, Roe v Wade, and a large contingent of ‘never-Michels Republicans’ (including candidates) nefariously working against Michels behind the scenes. This speaks volumes!

Only Scott Walker had better results in his 2018 loss, due to his incumbency. In fact, Tim Michels even did better than Dohnal’s good friend, Tommy Thompson’s 2012 Senate run, where Tommy lost by 5.6% and 166k votes. So, Bob Dohnal needs to spare us all his righteous indignation.

I am not talking about the numbers to brag; after all, Michels did lose. I am also not trying to demean the other candidates. I am simply proving that the Tim Michels campaign was NOT the worst in Wisconsin history and got better results than most. The numbers prove it.

Of course, a loss is a loss, and we all wish Evers was no longer Governor. Unfortunately, it was not in the cards. Regardless, isn’t it long past time to move past these hyperbolic rants?

It’s ok to disagree on policy approaches, style, and campaign tactics, but this UNSUBSTANTIATED complaint is downright irresponsible. We have nothing to gain from this boondoggle because of a bruised ego and incessant narcissism. Let’s move on.

Now back to the Complaint in front of the Ethics Commission. Dan O’Donnell spelled out how baseless it is better than I ever could. He is an attorney by trade, so he understands the ins and outs of legalese. Take a listen below. It’s Brilliant!

Also, I want to share an email from a Dohnal follower that was forwarded to me. I was personally included in the email thread since I am no longer on Dohnal’s ‘cool guys list.’

Many are privately talking about how insanely stupid this all is, but are fearful of the ‘Dohnal Email Wrath.’ Still, this one person showed courage, removed all stops, and did an eloquent job of neutralizing ALL of Dohnal’s rants against Michels in one shot. It was just TOO GOOD not to share.

The writer also reiterates some of what I stated above. The text was copied and pasted, so I am not responsible for Typeos. I decided to remove the names and the long list of private email addresses that were copied for privacy reasons:

Date: Friday, May 5, 2023 at 11:59 AM

Subject: RE: Tim Michels Campaign 2022

Bob, I learnd a lot from you over the years. In 2021 you convinced me that Becky wasn’t the right choice for Wisconsin governer. You were right. In 2022 you convinced me Kevin WAS the right guy. You were We needed an Outsider and we ddint’ need high paid consultants..

While we have agreed on much in the past 6 years of you criticizing the Walker Machine, RJ, and the Consultants – I have to disagree with you on your latest toxic fight.

Congratulations to Dan ODonnell today. He deserves the ‘ron johnson trophy of courage today’. He’s the first wisgop leader to publicly call for bob donahl to shut up “I am calling on Bob Donahl to withdrew his complaint againt tim michels”. and stop this party infighting. buy that man a beer (not a bud lite). Dan is right, for those that did not hear him on the air yesterday and today. He questions Bob’s mental recollection. I feel bad since Bob become a widower and Jean died, but 82 year old Bob just doesn’t have the mental capacity to debate anymore. He belongs in a home with Joe Biden.

Now that Dan cracked the holy seal that it is not permissible to speak the truth to bob dohnahl, I am going to do so myself. I hope others follow by Fact Checking Bob’s lies. As they have gone on repeated the past 6 months, our Party has suffered. Here are some thigns to consider bob.

1. BAD FORM. You are airing gop dirty laundry in the public in front of liberal journalists like Dan Bice. Brilliatnt Bob. Brilliant. The Dems don’t due this to each other. And the Dems win. i’m glad Dan ODonnell publicy called you to stop this. i hope Belling and the rest do the same. I don’t think Dan Bice will do that Bob.

2. BOB the GREEEDY PIGGIE: You are the greediest piggie at the trough. You blamed consultants for years (RJ and the Walker gang). Now you want to be the highest paid consultant in 2022? $100k. michaels campaign was 5 months. That’s $20,000 per month you asked for. Not a bad gig Bob. So much for being in it for the right reasons. It looks like flat out extortion. I’m on all your lgenthy email rants. Some are good. Some are too long. But I searched ‘100,000’ and see you use that number a lot. I found at least 36 emails topics in my emails from you where “100,000” gets stuck in your brain

a. Dohnal emails from 2016-2017: ‘100,000 is how many jobs the Left chased away”

b. 2018-2019: “we can reach 100,000 people with facebook ads” was the theme in many of these emails

c. 2020: “there are 100,000 overdose deaths” and your rants on drugs repeated mention 100,000

d. 2021: “Left found a way to get 100,000 more votes” – not sure what that refers to, but say number

e. 2021: “Jean and I gave over $100,000 to education…”. For that we are all thankful.

f. More 2021: “we will email 100000 people” repeatedly

g. 2022: the Fri Nov 4,2022 is the first time I was on a thread about $100,000 and the

michaels campaign. 4 days before the election it looks like you copied the world asking for “$100,000”. that was the first email that had a dollar sign on the 100,000 on teh mass blast you send.

maybe your brain wanted the 100,000 more thatn the truh. As you ssaid and admitted yesterday “my brain is getting foggy”. Is it possible no one promised you 100,000 but you wanted 100,000?

3. WRONG FACTS “Michaels blew 69 million”.”He got outspent 7 to 1″
Bob, Michels put in $25M of his own money. The Dems outspent him as they can Print money. Same thing happened to Dan Kelly. maybe you are thinking of a differnet campaign (Gov Knowles?) that got outspent 7 to 1?

Hey, I was a Kevin supporter in the Primary. But I was there the day after the Primary to beat Evers. I know Becky would not have had $25M from her and her lobbyist husband to put in the race. Maybe thank the guy. He lost, but so have Mark Green, Eric Toney, Paul Bucher, Tommy Thompson, Paul Ryan.

Google it. Pretty easy fact to dispute. I’m not sure where you get the $69M. again, is your brain foggy and you are focused something else? $164.3M spent – more for the Dems, some gop dark money and then Tim’s $30M+ from his campaign.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/01/31/2022-wisconsin-governors-race-spending-smashes-previous-records/69858889007/

4. Lie: “Tim never thanks me”. (first off, how self centered)

Twitter is the way candidates say thank you these days to someone publicly- not the glossy 8×11” that Governor Knowles sent you in 1962.

Error! Filename not specified.

Bob, you retweeted his tweet thanking you. Such a short memory you have. Here it is for those following along at home.

Ended another great day on the trail at Clifford’s Supper Club in Hales Corners. Thanks to Bob Dohnal and everyone who made the event a success. Lots of great people who are ready to win in six days. pic.twitter.com/epCE7q0gLD
— Tim Michels (@michelsforgov) November 3, 2022

also he thanks you for the Chicken Burn and some education tour. go online. use google. multiple times he thanks you bob.

another Lie Bob has started: Tim was dark on TV/Radio for 7 weeks. i see this one in my email box every day.

Where you living under a Rock during the 2022 election? Do you not own a TV? Or were you thinking of the Dan Kelly campaign that was off the air for 7 weeks? The 2022 was the most expensive race in America. google it. No other gop governor campaign had more tv ads. I got so tired of seeing the Red Truck on TV for 5 months. Did you not turn on TV, YouTUBE, or the Radio? I still have ptsd with some of the ads etched into my memory of tim walking in the milwaukee ghetto talking about tough on crime. How can you say he was dark for 7 weeks? My mailbox would fill up with his fliers, so would my cellphone inbox and emai;s. I couldn’t watch a packer game without his ads being on tv.

6. Lies you say everyday: tim didn’t have grassroots. Bob, you should have went to some of his events. Here’s the one I drove down to see Reince Priebus. Hundreds of people at a bar. Jay weber talked about tehse bar events a lot. Hundreds of people showing up.

Campaigning Wisconsin style – tavern hopping and getting the message out! ⁦@michelsforgov⁩ 🍻🧀 pic.twitter.com/N7mnYrTL0w
— Reince Priebus (@Reince) November 3, 2022

7. Lie you keep repeating: Tim didn’t go to Dane county.

(This came to me from volunteers connected to the campaign when i asked them after the loss why they didnt go to Madison):

Look at the Michels Twitter page that is still on the internet.

It lists at least 1 day each week in Madison. There are many public events republican events, business meetings, and bar rallys. Google reveals other visits. Wispolitics.com says Micheals as a special guest on several events at the Madison Club. A meet-and-greet and fundraising invites appear with Dane County heavyweights Eric Hovde, Terrance Wall, Tommy Thompson and another WMC-hosted forum with hundreds of invitees. Multiple day-time visits, weekend visits and Party events show Michels was in Madison at least 1-2 times each week in the general election according to the internet.

There are other things Bob you have exaggerated. I hope others feel compelled to fact check you so you don’t keep getting way with destroying our party from the insider by creating disunity.

Tim took full responsibility for his loss on the Dan ODOnnell show 2 weeks after the November election. It is still on Jay’s website now. You can google jay weber tim Michels.

He’s not making any excuses. The time for blame casting is done. Tim worked hard. He spent $25M of his own money. Bob donahl needs to learn from the race and stop blaming the past candidates. Tim lost by 3. Dan Kelly lost by 10+ (two times). Leah lost by 11%. Mark Green lost by 8%. They are not bad people.. You keep saying tim was the worst campaign in history. Ugh, there are many worse examples.

now like you say, let’s unite, so we can win teh next one.

i am also putting tim on this email since you dont have the courage or ability to call him out to his own email.

Donald Trump and the Presidency, is it time to pass the MAGA Torch?

By

Paris Procopis

-

April 28, 2023

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With the 2024 Presidential election looming, Republican voters have a generational decision to make. Is Donald Trump our party’s nominee in 2024, or has the time come to pass the MAGA torch to the next generation?

Be warned; this is a sugarcoat-free zone and not for the faint of heart.

Since the 2020 election ended, I have been reflecting deeply on the legacy and future of President Trump. I have always been much more of a pragmatist than an idealist; with that in mind, it’s time to consider the reality that President Donald J. Trump’s time has passed. The time to crown a new MAGA champion to ride the wave into the future has come. More on that later.

I know many of my fellow Trump supporters have just let out a collective gasp and many are busy picking their jaws up from the floor. Please, save your knee-jerk ‘outrage’ for a moment and hear me out.

Let me start by saying that President Trump has likely been the most influential president of my lifetime. He accomplished more in one term than most other modern Presidents combined. And that’s saying a lot since in reality, he only had about two years of his four-year term.

We had everything from policies that ignited a booming economy to the epic success of the Abraham Accords. He dared to do things differently, AND IT WORKED.

However, this is not to say that he was without his faults or flops. Government spending was still through the roof, and his mouth was often his worst enemy when he should have just sat back and watched the Left implode.

This does not mean I have written Trump off, far from it. I am just saying we need to look at this election from all points of view. If he is the nominee, I would proudly vote for him again.

When he first came down that escalator, America was deeply wounded. Before healing any wound, you must first stop the bleeding. President Trump served as the proverbial disrupter who became that metaphorical Band-Aid.

Throughout his presidency, he kept fighting no matter how bad the nonsensical left-wing attacks got. This is why he was successful and accomplished much of his agenda.

This fighting spirit has opened the floodgates to other politicians willing to follow his example and show unwavering leadership. President Trump proved that the American spirit is alive and well. For all this, I am eternally grateful to President Trump and his faith in and his unleashing of the American machine.

Unfortunately, things have changed. Lately, instead of pressing forward, at times, President Trump has been sounding more like Stacy Abrams than the visionary who came down the escalator in 2015.

Yes, there are many questions about how the 2020 election was conducted, and the allegations MUST be investigated. But NOTHING, yes, I’ll repeat it; NOTHING will change the outcome.

Biden won the election and became President. Was it fair? Probably not, but the fact remains that we did not show up in high enough numbers to offset the apparent nefarious activity and obvious changing of the rules.

President Trump needs to focus on the future, not live in the past. He has a solid record of getting things done in the most hostile of environments ~~ever~~. He deserves to be proud of it. He should take the movement he created and use it to take power away from the Socialists in the Democrat Party and give it back to the people in 2022. Instead, he is taking attention away from his accomplishments and is doing the exact thing conservatives gave Abrams flack for the past few years.

We must focus on 2024. THIS IS ESSENTIAL to moving forward.

Trump winning again would not be as easy as one thinks. Coming back again after losing has only happened once in our history. Many have tried, but only Grover Cleveland succeeded in 1892.

Besides, even if Trump were to pull off the impossible somehow, he would likely be a lame duck with the Left, and sadly, many on the Right desperately focused on destroying him. If you think the Liberals were terrible in his first term, just wait.

Then there’s his age.

It seems that everyone is complaining about Joe Biden’s age and how dangerous it is for America. At the same time, are ignoring the fact that Trump will be nearly 80 years old in 2024. We cannot have it both ways. Either age is important or it’s not.

There is also the question of whether he can win or not. His polling has been an utter seesaw; sometimes, they show he’s winning it all, and sometimes he’s losing to Joe Biden again.

Regardless, as we saw in 2022, the polls cannot be trusted. Almost all of them were wrong. Sure, issues like abortion played a role, but like it or not, Trump was also a factor in 2022. In some cases, he helped, but in some very crucial situations, Trump hurt us.

There is also the question of which Trump will show up, the ‘Presidential’ Trump talking about the things he will do in the future or the Trump who is still focused on winning 2020. Indeed, President Trump has a significant role to play in 2024, but where can he have the biggest impact?

As we saw in Virginia with Glenn Youngkin’s win in 2021, there has been an awakening of sorts. This election proved Republicans can win the culture war, and in large part, we have President Trump and MAGA to thank for it.

Even more critical, Trump proved that it’s possible to fight back and still get positive things done. As I said, he only really had two years, imagine if he had all four. This left the door open for others nationwide to follow Trump’s lead, and they are proving to be successful.

Just look at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He has quickly become a top Presidential contender for 2024 for being a fantastic Governor in Florida. Ron Desantis has shown that he has the intestinal fortitude and the ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking of Donald Trump, combined with the leadership skills and finesse of Ronald Reagan.

While it’s still early, and there is still much ‘vetting’ to do, he just might be the one to bring a UNITED Conservative wave to sweep away the Leftist extremists. He has shown outstanding leadership and unapologetically embraced the MAGA movement’s ideals—Desantis is a Conservative champion and, hopefully, the first of many more to come.

This may be the lasting legacy of President Donald J. Trump; leaders who emerge, roll up their sleeves and have a mind to work for the people.

At this moment, the nomination is Trump’s to lose, but it’s not enough to win the White House. President Trump can satisfy his most significant role, setting the stage for our future and passing MAGA on to the next generation who may have the best chance of winning.

Yes, I know that Joe Biden is running…for now, but his accelerated cognitive decline proves this may not be likely. Because of this, a new name has emerged as the potential ‘savior’ for the Democrats; Robert F. Jennedy, Jr. We know he’s an extreme environmentalist cultist, but he brings with him the legacy of ‘Camelot’ and a more centrist message. He will be difficult for Trump, or perhaps anyone, to beat.

We need to take a serious look at ALL options. AND YES, THAT INCLUDES TRUMP.

Let’s let the primary process sort it out, and Republican Party leaders NEED TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF. If Trump loses the nomination fair and square, so be it, if it is taken from him through nefarious means, Trump supporters will walk, and the Democrats will win easily. This MUST be tempered with common sense; we cannot afford to lose Trump Supporters.

Looking at his rallies, Trump is still the one who commands huge crowds. Republicans need this energy more than they need the ‘never-Trumpers.’ Desantis is the ONLY one who could possibly win Trump supporters over. If it’s anyone else, Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan, etc., it’s over.

Either way, let’s do this right so we can win. If he is the nominee, I WILL ENTHUSIASTICLY SUPPORT HIM. That said, I still may pick him in the primary, or not. It’s too soon to tell, but I certainly hope the candidate will be a winner.

It’s ironic the first episode of Trump’s ‘The Apprentice’ featured contestants having to make lemonade. America has been handed plenty of lemons lately, and you know what they say about life giving you lemons…

I rather look forward to having a lot of lemonade while making sure the Democrats are forced to eat a lot of ‘crow’; I wonder if crow tastes like chicken.

Let the chaos of the primary season begin.

The WISGOP has Become a Sinking Ship Engulfed by Mediocrity and Unfocused Leadership

By

Paris Procopis

-

April 17, 2023

Please share!

After another losing statewide election in Wisconsin, it seems that the WISGOP should change its slogan to ‘Celebrate Mediocrity’ to keep things honest. The Republican Party of Wisconsin has been spiraling since Reince Priebus left as Chairman to take over the RNC in 2011; only now, it seems, we have hit the iceberg dead on and are taking on water, big time.

Even with recent changes, the party shows that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS CHANGED. This should be no surprise since Brian Schimming, the new WISGOP Chairman, comes from the Madison ‘swamp’ and was anointed with little to no input from Republicans statewide. Why should anyone expect results to be different? Here we go again!

In fairness to Schimming, he did inherit a mess when he took over in December. The party was broke, could not prevent or mediate an ugly and expensive Supreme Court primary, and the grassroots was demoralized from another series of statewide losses last November. Regardless, those who think the new RPW Chairman is beyond contestation are sadly mistaken.

I am not one of those saying Dan Kelly’s loss was all Schimming’s fault. That accusation isn’t fair, and it’s not true. There is, however, plenty he can and should, be blamed for.

I know this ruffles his feathers and the feathers of those trying to ride his media coattails, but if he can’t handle the heat, perhaps he shouldn’t have taken the job. He was in charge, and it is customary for the captain to go down with the sinking ship, and in Schimming’s case, he was at the helm when it crashed head-on into the iceberg.

Many of us saw the iceberg in the distance, knowing the damage a bruising primary for Supreme Court would do. Even Mark Belling publicly urged Daniel Kelly to drop out after he and his surrogates went negative, but Schimming was SILENT and did nothing to change course to avoid that iceberg. Nobody asked him to pick the winner; we were trying to get the internal attacks to stop. Instead, he punted.

The reality, Democrats viewed Dorow as the stronger general election candidate, so ‘A Better Wisconsin Together’ spent $2.4 million to dirty her up in the primary and helped Dan Kelly to advance. Schimmings silence on everything was deafening.

Remember when all the Democrats dropped out of the US Senate race with two weeks to go to ensure Mandela Barnes wouldn’t get battered in an inter-party primary? That didn’t happen by accident. It was orchestrated. Luckily, Ron Johnson was ready and did what the Democrats were unwilling to do and immediately told the truth about Barnes.

Brian Schimming and his apologists now find it necessary to ‘celebrate’ his mediocre start. They are busy making excuses but refusing to look at reality. The usual suspects keep parroting talking points like, ‘He was the hardest worker’ and ‘He’s only had the job for a few months.’

Really? Schimming is no novice. He has been part of the WISGOP ‘organization ‘elites’ for years. He has also been Vice-Chairman and continued being a vocal cheerleader long after. So, spare me the excuses; there was no reason he couldn’t hit the ground running, as this is NOT his first rodeo. Nuff said?

In a recent interaction I had with Schimming, he made a point of telling me that he had been to more places than I have. Really? So what? If you have to point out how ‘hard’ you are working, maybe it’s time to do some self-reflection because actions should speak louder than words. He’s getting paid a substantial salary to travel the state; it’s part of his job.

The most critical part of the job of the WISGOP Chairman is FUNDRAISING. Perhaps he missed the memo, as this seemed less of a priority. This became excruciatingly obvious when he was recently asked in an interview if he had talked to Diane Hendrichs, the wealthiest woman in the state and a key GOP donor. He said he hadn’t spoken with her in ‘months.’ Seriously? She should have been one of his first calls!

There are rumors that he doesn’t like fundraising. Ok? If true, then what is the party paying him for? Money finally started rolling in at the end; better late than never. And he did manage to raise more money than his predecessor, but let’s face it, it was a very low bar. Shimming’s fundraising efforts were underwhelming when compared to the Democrat money-making machine.

I’d be curious to see how much of that money was actually used on Dan Kelly’s behalf. Yes, I’m hearing that Kelly refused monetary support from the WISGOP. This is a colossal misstep by Kelly. This refusal would have been good to know way back in December; perhaps another reason Kelly should have stepped aside. But that’s ancient history now.

Regardless of what Kelly wanted, Schimming should have spent EVERY DIME on Kelly’s behalf, which could have helped other critical races across the state, like the Green Bay Mayor’s race. I would love to see how much the WISGOP still had in the bank the day after the election. I bet the answer would speak volumes.

Clearly, Schimming wasn’t focusing on fundraising calls, so what was he doing? Well, he was busy wasting precious fundraising hours preaching to the choir and hosting various radio shows, he even made a TV appearance on Nesmax. You know, things more focused on building the ‘Brian Schimming, Inc.’ brand rather than fundraising and expanding the base. But I digress.

Don’t get me wrong, I get that Schimming is a media guy, and he’s good at it, but while on the WISGOP dime, he needed to stop doing radio shows. None of those HOURS on the radio translated into ballots. On top of that, it sure would have been nice to have those precious hours invested in calling donors. After all, this was his primary job.

What’s more, doing radio shows as the head of the Republican Party could have allowed the Democrats to demand equal time. Luckily, they did not – this time.

We all know that Brian is a good cheerleader for the WISGOP; that’s where he excels and clearly likes doing it. Becoming WISGOP Chairman was a mistake, and it was wrong for Senator Johnson and others to anoint him in the first place. Other candidates were out of the beltway and were much better suited and would have focused on fundraising.

The WISGOP got outworked and the ‘Captain of the ship’ was not paying attention. Just look at Ben Wikler, he raised over $10 million for the Democrat Party in the Supreme Court race. Nearly ALL OF IT was transferred directly to the Janet Protasiewicz campaign. Republicans raised less than $2 Million.

Brian Schimming has a big decision; is he willing to buckle down and build a large and small donor machine as the Democrats have, or will he continue to do radio shows to grow his brand? He cannot do both; if this continues, we should expect the same lousy results in 2024.

Why do Conservatives Keep Losing in Wisconsin? Newsflash: It’s Not Just About the Candidate

By

Paris Procopis

-

April 13, 2023

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Well, there you go again. Ronald Reagan used to say this to the press and to political opponents. Today, he would say the same thing about the feckless Republican leadership in Wisconsin and the losing track record in recent years.

We are not losing because the Democrats have such an amazing message; clearly, they do not. We are not losing because the Dems have such hard-working candidates. Janet Protasiewicz didn’t even bother to campaign the final seven days because she was supposedly ‘sick.’

Instead of looking in the mirror, reflecting, and making needed changes, Conservatives are looking for easy ‘blame someone else’ answers and changing absolutely nothing.

On the heels of the disastrous Supreme Court race, the usual suspects are busy shielding themselves from any blame and deflecting attention from their failures by placing all blame on the candidate. Sound familiar?

Just like in November, when some demonized Tim Michels for his loss, some have felt it necessary to attack Michels again. Really?

Neither candidate was perfect, and they both made tactical missteps along the way. While important, the candidate is only part of the big picture. But let’s have a frank discussion about the dynamics in both races. Why? Because if we let ‘blaming the wrong reason’ continue, we are doomed to change nothing.

First, I supported the primary winner last year and did not support the primary winner this year; I supported both winners in the general election. This gives credibility to what I’m going to discuss here.

In Dan Kelly’s case, he was a rock-solid Conservative and loves the Constitution. He cares deeply for his family and his community. All this, coupled with a solid list of Supreme Court Rulings, proved he was an excellent jurist. His judicial track record was beyond contestation. Sadly, he needed to be a more skilled politician.

Sure, I was not a fan of Dan Kelly as a candidate, so I supported Jennifer Dorow in the primary. While it would be easy to blame everything on him, I understand the big picture. After the primary, I joined Dorow and the rest of her supporters and supported Kelly. Because of this, Dan Kelly enjoyed nearly unanimous support from Conservatives.

So, why did a ‘perfect Ideological Conservative’ like Dan Kelly lose?

A significant barrier was himself. As a self-proclaimed ‘Constitutional Nerd,’ he kept his rhetoric too academic and lost people at ‘the rule of law.’ This sort of educated elitist rhetoric appeared arrogant on the campaign trail. He failed to simplify his message to connect outside Conservative circles—simply too much time in front of the choir.

In Wisconsin, Conservative support only gets us to about 45%. He had zero cross-over appeal and failed to let people in to see his personal side. Add to it the anemic fundraising; this proved to be disastrous. That said, there were so many more factors to consider out of his control.

As I said, Dan Kelly had near unanimous base support; sadly, a unified base was a luxury Tim Michels did not enjoy last year.

Like Dan Kelly, ALL Conservatives should have been willing to support Tim Michels after the Primary.

Ideologically, he was rock solid on ideals like the Right to Life, Public Safety, Backing the Blue, Universal School Choice, Voter integrity, low taxes, etc. He was also a solid family man who campaigned with his wife and family by his side. And let’s not forget his military service and that he owns a company that employs thousands of people here in Wisconsin.

From the start, he rolled up his sleeves and busted his butt out there. He and his team went EVERYWHERE. Just look at the Michels for Governor Twitter account; there were at least 450 stops over the 90 days of the general election campaign cycle. And that’s just what made it onto Twitter. Some even tried to create the narrative that he was ‘not working hard.’ Obviously, he was.

In the campaign’s last weeks, Michels became much better at connecting with voters; he came a long way from ‘reading’ his speech at the convention. On top of that, he hit a home run in the televised debate with Tony Evers. Again, he did a great job of differentiating himself. Sadly, people at large do not watch Governor debates.

Tim Michels invested over $20 Million, which no Wisconsin candidate has ever done. Millions more than any other Republican would have brought to the table. It was a lot but not nearly enough to overcome Evers’ money machine advantage in the most expensive gubernatorial campaign in the nation.

There were some silver linings throughout the campaign. Michels dared to be different by changing the political dynamic a bit. He was the first Republican gubernatorial candidate since Tommy Thompson to invest time in areas now neglected by Republicans.

Just look at the City of Milwaukee. In November, voter turnout was significantly down because of those efforts. After meeting Michels, many Milwaukee voters stayed home. It was not yet enough to get them to trust Republicans, but it was a MAJOR step forward for the Republican brand.

He was not charismatic like Ronald Regan; heck no, there’s only one Reagan. Did he say everything right every time? No, he fumbled the ball a few times and sometimes struggled in interviews. So what? He was still the Conservative against Tony Evers.

He was not the pillar of perfection; biblically speaking, only one could walk on water. Even if Tim Michels was not your ‘ideal’ candidate, at the very least, he should have been ‘good enough’ against Evers. He was much better than ‘good enough,’ there was no coherent reason for a Conservative not to vote for him, none. Well, except for some.

Throughout the campaign, Michels had much of the party apparatus working against him, and primary bitterness significantly contributed to his loss. Instead of coming together, Rebecca Kleefisch and many of her supporters refused to participate post-primary; most of her team simply disappeared. As a result, Tim did not have a needed unified base.

On election day, some bragged and posted ballot pictures showing they wrote in another candidate or left the Governor’s field empty.

Behind the scenes, many ‘powerful’ Republicans were strongarming donors to avoid donating to Michels. There was nearly ZERO support from the RNC at the national level, and there was no sign of a ‘Victory 2022’ push in Wisconsin. Deliberate? Who knows?

In the end, he and his campaign team did the best they could, having to win not only against Democrats but also against fellow Republicans who were deliberately trying to derail him.

On Election night, Tony Evers was the top vote-getter. Even if Michels matched Ron Johnson’s numbers by getting 68k more votes, it would not have been enough, but the deficit showed the impact of sour grapes. Johnson had the advantage of incumbency and a lousy opponent; the most hated Republican, other than Scott Walker, would have lost to a better candidate.

Aside from all the intra-party wrangling, there are factors out of anyone’s control, and this affected not only Tim Michels and Dan Kelly but NEARLY cost us, Ron Johnson.

The issues at the top? ABORTION and TRUMP!

Both issues caused the ‘red wave’ to fizzle. Conservatives wanted to end Roe so badly that they failed to consider how to function in a post-Roe America. Add to that the Trump factor; the Democrats were able to control the narrative completely.

What’s more, NOBODY predicted, and EVERYONE underestimated, the impact of the Roe decision and Trump on both elections.

Tim Michels and Dan Kelly alike are pro-life, but the Democrats labeled them both as ‘extremists’ because of the existing abortion law, and they were able to saddle Trump with both candidates. Republicans need to find a way to neutralize both issues quickly.

Still, while important, there is so much more to consider.

In the end, Tim Michels did lose, but just like Dan Kelly, focusing entirely on the candidate is COMPLETELY IGNORING THE BIG PICTURE. Collectively, we are failing and have been failing for a long time.

Let’s get to the root, Wisconsin Democrats are consistently outworking the Republicans. Democrats get results, and all our side does is complain about it.

Michels got more votes than Scott Walker’s win in 2014, but it’s no longer enough. Since the Democrats have built upon their numbers, they have been winning ever since. Republicans have failed to move the needle whatsoever; the numbers consistently show we have remained flat.

Today’s Democrats focus entirely on getting ballots above all else. Most Democrats vote early, and the party uses public data to see who has not voted yet. Their highly paid ‘volunteers’ are harvesting ballots everywhere, from colleges to nursing homes. Where are we?

The Democrats want it more, plain and simple. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gotten bad enough for the Republicans to want it. The Republican ground game is reactive at best, and we are always running from behind.

Republican fundraising has been anemic while Liberals have enjoyed a substantial third-party money advantage because of the so-called ‘Walker Loophole.’ Unfortunately, lack of foresight on this ‘loophole’ will continue to haunt us; unintended consequences under the guise of ‘good intentions.’

The Democrats control the narrative. Project Democracy PAC announced that voters viewed its digital ad during the Supreme Court election more than 2.8 million times in 2 1/2 weeks, and it was viewed to completion by over 74% of those who watched it.

What did Republicans have to counter this? Anything? Clearly we have a failure to communicate.

Conservatives in Wisconsin have lost nearly everything since 2018. So rather than exclusively hyper-focusing on the candidate’s faults, it’s time to take that proverbial look in the mirror. Collectively we are failing, and for what? To satisfy some hurt egos?

Face it, Ronald Reagan or Antonin Scalia could have been the candidates, and we would have still snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

This losing trend will continue unless things change drastically and quickly. Remember Einstein’s definition of insanity? As of right now, the Democrats WILL WIN in 2024. So let’s learn from the past, focus on the future, and dare to do things differently so we can change this.

Voters Double Down on ‘Woke’ Left-Wing Extremism on Wauwatosa School Board, Xi Jinping must be proud

By

Paris Procopis

-

April 9, 2023

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The Spring 2023 election is now over and the voters have spoken in Wauwatosa. The effort to change the trajectory of the Wauwatosa Board completely failed. The message was beyond loud and clear, voters want to continue with same tawdry, self-indulgent ideology that has infested Tosa schools for years now.

If you think this is hyperbole, you are sadly mistaken.

Right now ‘Dr’ Eric Jessup-Anger, PhD. is drooling at the thought that he will now have two solid years to deeper entrench his ‘WOKE’ Extremist Ideology into the Wauwatosa Public School Curriculum. There is literally NOTHING TO STOP HIM NOW.

Unfortunately, the ‘3 Tosa Dads’ failed to break the 40% mark. They mounted a noble effort and tried their best to stay above the ideological fray. A tactic I disagreed with, but it was not my campaign.

The loss is more proof that School Board races are far from ‘non-partisan,’ and Conservatives need to fight head-on, not hide behind the ‘non-partisan’ veil like the Left tends to do.

The three ‘WOKE’ Extremists who won had plenty of teachers union money to control the narrative. They were able to successfully demonize the dads as radicals, which was far from true. Sadly, the dads simply did not have the resources to counteract the hyperbolic and deceptive onslaught.

This left voters hoodwinked into a choice between three ‘right-wing extremists’ and three ‘nice moms,’ when the choice was quite the opposite.

Anyway, the rouse worked and the real extremists sailed to victory. Willis, Heimerl-Rolland, and Woehrle swing the board so far to the Left that they would make Bernie Sanders look Conservative and would Xi Jinping grin with pride.

The ‘3 Tosa Dads’ were not the ultimate losers here, it’s the Tosa students who have lost the most. Once one of the top school systems in the state, Wauwatosa has fallen well beyond saving. The system is bad even for Wisconsin standards, and that’s saying a lot. With this bunch in charge, they may even give MPS a challenge for bottom.

If you think things are bad now, just wait. Expect test scores to nosedive, indoctrination to increase, and expulsions/suspensions of violent kids to decrease. Wauwatosa Schools are no longer safe, both mentally and physically.

Thankfully, we are only a few weeks from the end of the year. My advice to Tosa Parents in public schools? GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!

I know this sounds like I have given up, because basically, I have. Personally, I have been fighting against this indoctrination for years, but always held out hope that Tosa would ‘see the light’ and change course. This election cycle was the final stand and it failed. My hope has completely dwindled.

How bad do Wauwatosa Schools have to get before voters are compelled to act? Tosa Schools are already a cesspool of extremism. Now the extremists will be even more emboldened to deeper entrench the tenants of Critical Race Theory, the re-writing of US History to hate America, perpetuating the transgender agenda, the hyper-sexualization of young kids, and literally controlling what kids say and how they say it.

To control what people think, you must control what they say. This is all draconian at best.

What’s more, it’s only a matter of time before the board votes to take away the rights of parents to know if their child has been indoctrinated into wanting to gender transition.

And regardless of that, Tosa Schools are simply NOT SAFE anymore. I have been writing articles showing video after video of the almost daily brawls happening at the schools. Sure, the Board voted to approve the recent Police plan in a warm and fuzzy School Board meeting a few weeks ago.

It’s a trap!

Let’s be real, they were only supporting the police because there was an election looming nearby. THIS WILL CHANGE SOON. Especially since the board will now have at least two more cop-haters making decisions. They couldn’t care less about the safety of students, all they care about is virtue signaling, proper pronoun usage, and teaching 3rd Graders about dildos.

This is all to say nothing about the forthcoming budget shortfall that the board kept quiet for the election. The system is in deep financial trouble. Now with Oconomowoc Schools passing its second referendum in eight years last week, you can bet ‘Dr’ Eric Jessup-Anger, PhD. and his new merry band of extremists is chomping at the bit to get their hands on more of your wallet.

Look for another survey soon from School Perceptions, the professional left-wing referendum hustlers. The board is addicted to the taxpayer opioid and the are ‘jonesing’ for more. They are not done mismanaging your dollars.

This election leaves the same 6-1 margin with an even more extreme bend. I feel sorry for Mike Meier, the lone voice of sanity on the board. Sadly, his wise council will continue to fall on deaf ears, because the rest of the board will continue to have secret meetings and will continue to manipulate data in order to push their crackpot agenda through.

Wauwatosa Public Schools are completely lost, there looks to be no turning back now. I am glad I pulled my youngest out before it was too late and I strongly suggest you do so as well. There is nothing more dangerous than a ‘WOKE’ Extremest School Board with zero accountability. You ain’t seen nothing yet, just wait.

Run! While you still can.

Voting against Dan Knodl or Voting Dem to ‘Prove a Point’ is CHILDISH, the Ends Simply do not Justify the Means

By

Paris Procopis

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April 3, 2023

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It’s well known that I loudly and proudly supported Janel Brandtjen over Dan Knodl for the special election in Wisconsin’s 8th State Senate District. It was a spirited campaign throughout, but overall the candidates stayed above the fray. Unfortunately, others didn’t.

If you recall, I wrote an article about Robin Vos, Devin LeMahieu, Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger teaming up and spearheading an effort to spend tens of thousands of dollars to defeat Brandtjen. Sadly, the effort succeeded and Brandtjen was indeed defeated.

Since her loss, Brandtjen stepped up and has displayed incredible class by putting her support behind Dan Knodl. This was even after what ‘Team Vos’ pulled and Brandtjen had every right to lash back, but she didn’t. TRUE CLASS!

She has been cordial and has also had joint public appearances as well. But then again, I would expect nothing less from Janel Brandtjen because she is one of the few genuine statesmen we have in the legislature. It’s what grown-ups do.

Yes, I am a bit unhappy that ‘Team Vos’ succeeded in their draconian plot to interfere and this will not soon be forgotten, but yet here we are. In the end, right or wrong, more people voted for Dan Knodl and he won. Now the thousands of Brandtjen supporters in the 8th District must play the hand they have been dealt and not the one some wish they had.

Knodl now has a major battle on his hands against Liberal Extremist Jodi Habush Sinykin. She enjoys a unified front and major financial backing from out of state Leftists. For both Republicans and Democrats, this is a must-win because his seat gives Republicans in the Senate a supermajority with impeachment powers.

Of course, this only matters if LeMehiew grows a pair and uses this power, and he has yet to show any backbone, but we have to try. Dan Knodl has promised to spearhead those efforts if needed. We will hold his feet to the fire. Stay tuned.

No, I am not saying go on an impeachment spree, but it’s nice to have the power if needed.

Unfortunately, a couple of loud Brandtjen supporters are acting like spoiled children. Today on the Mark Belling show, Belling referred to one of those voices. It’s sad, and eerily similar attitude to last year and that cost the state dearly. But that’s a different subject.

Now, some have even gone so far as to suggest voting for Habush. What? Voting for someone who is the exact opposite of everything you stand for is illogical, and frankly, CHILDISH.

For many of us, Knodl is not the ‘ideal’ Republican, Brandtjen would have been so much better on so many levels, yet, as I said before, we have to play the hand we are dealt and not the one we wish we had.

Voting against Dan Knodl or voting for Habush in order to ‘prove a point’ of how ‘perfect’ of a Conservative you are is CHILDISH; the ends simply do not justify the means!

Allowing another extremist Democrat into the Senate is NOT a good option, it’s dangerous. And let’s be realistic, we also need protection should the unthinkable happen and we lose the Supreme Court race. I am hopeful Dan Kelly will prevail, but there is also a possibility he will not. What then?

Besides, let’s not forget, Janel Brandtjen is still our champion in the Assembly. WE STILL HAVE HER TO LEAD THE WAY.

As I said, this is a must-win. Besides, getting out to vote for Knodl also has the added effect of getting people out to vote for Dan Kelly. We have a legitimate chance here and EVERY VOTE MATTERS ACROSS THE STATE.

Janel Brandtjen is showing incredible class, because she gets it. The 8th Senate District should follow her lead and VOTE FOR DAN KNODL, because so much depends on it! Like literally everything.

Wauwatosa Schools Desperately Need to Change the Current Trajectory Before it’s too Late

By

Paris Procopis

-

April 1, 2023

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Vote as if the future of the Wauwatosa School depends on it, because it does!

We are a few days away from from Spring Election Day in Wisconsin. Though many people have already voted Absentee, there are still thousands who will cast their vote on April 4th.

In addition to the State Supreme Court race, there are also municipal races and Referenda on the ballot across the state.

In Wauwatosa, there are four School Board seats up. With only a total of seven seats on the board, Wauwatosa, literally, has the power to either keep the status quo or to completely change the current trajectory of Wauwatosa Public Schools.

We all know that school board races are supposed to be ‘non-partisan’ races, but, let’s be real, they are all partisan. I have also written about the fact that Liberals love to hide their true colors behind the ‘non-partisan’ veil, this year is no different.

Because of the intense criticism of the Wauwatosa School Board recently, Jessica Willis, is the only incumbent running for re-election this year. She is facing Mike Zollicoffer Jr. for Seat 7. Willis was appointed recently by the board to finish an open term.

Liz Heimerl-Rolland and Chris Zirbes are competing for Seat 5, which is currently held by Michael Phillips. Lynne Woehrle and Daniel Gugala are competing for Seat 6, now held by Sharon Muehlfeld.

Seat 4 is also up for election this year, but Phillip Morris is running unopposed for that seat which is currently held by Leigh Anne Fraley.

The candidates are basically separated by two camps. Willis, Heimerl-Rolland, and Woehrle, represent the status quo and desperately want to keep things moving in the same direction, on the other hand; Gugala, Zirbes and Zoollicoffer (the Three Tosa Dads) represent the ones who want change the trajectory of the Wauwatosa School System.

Since Morris is running unopposed, I will focus on the seats with opponents.

The Out of Touch Candidates vs. the Three Tosa Dads

I wasn’t planning on writing about the Wauwatosa School Board races, but sadly, there is so much misinformation flowing that I cannot ignore it any longer. Willis, Heimerl-Rolland, and Woehrle have done a bang-up job controlling the narrative by attempting to paint ‘the Three Tosa Dads’ as ‘right-wing’ extremists and LITERALLY misrepresenting their stances.

One example of the lies is a post card out there saying they want to ‘ban books.’ Seriously? None of the Three Tosa Dads proposed anything close. This is hyperbole at best. I’m surprised they didn’t say the Dads wanted to Barbecue puppies in their back yards.

Here’s a link to the Three Tosa Dads website, name one thing they say that is extreme? The truth is, YOU CAN’T.

‘Accuse your opponent of what you are doing, to create confusion and to inculcate voters against evidence of your own guilt’

– Saul Alinsky, Rules for Radicals

What we really have is a case of three candidates with actual Extreme views accusing their opponents of being extreme. Their vitriolic hyperbole about the Three Tosa Dads would make Saul Alinsky proud.

Let’s set the record straight, it is Willis, Heimerl-Rolland, and Woehrle who are the Extremists because they are supporting the status quo.

THEY SUPPORT EVERYTHING THE CURRENT BOARD HAS DONE. Everything from manipulating survey data to implement pornographic sex ed for 3rd-Graders, making Suspensions and Expulsions more difficult, while hiring social workers to give violent students a ‘firm talking to.’ All the things that are making Wauwatosa Schools unequivocally UNSAFE.

In a nutshell, Willis, Heimerl-Rolland, and Woehrle will be nothing except replacement minions for the current extremists on the board. They will be nothing but rubber-stamps who will do the bidding of ‘Dr’ Eric Jesup-Anger, PhD. and his extreme agenda.

Under the leadership of Jesup-Anger and under past leadership of former Presidents Steve Doman and Shawn Rolland, there has been push to turn the Wauwatosa Schools System into an extreme WOKE haven. Yes, Shawn Rolland is the husband of Liz Heimerl-rolland who is currently running. This fact alone should have you very concerned since Shawn started this trajectory.

Here is the problem with such a hyper-focus on ideology rather than education, it’s destined to fail. Look at the data, this extreme dereliction of duty has lead to Wauwatosa Schools consistently seeing significant performance declines EVERY YEAR. Of course, the board wants to use the Covid excuse for the declines. Sorry guys, the decline started in 2018 and continues to this day. Whitefish Bay declined during Covid, but has bounced back since, what’s Wauwatosa’s excuse?

The chart below shows Wauwatosa’s DPI Score decline from 2018 to 2021.

Let me remind you, 2018 was the alleged year Jesup-Anger’s ‘no suspension / no expulsion‘ practice started.‘ So, student scores are aligning with the direction of alleged disciplinary practices, but that’s a different article.

You see, it’s not just about academics, but it’s also about student safety. Many of you know I have written several articles and shown videos about the all out brawls that are now common place in Tosa High Schools and Middle Schools. It’s only a matter of time before we see videos of of 1st-Graders brawling. Think I’m being hyperbolic? Just wait.

This all falls directly at the feet of the School Board.

Right now the Wauwatosa School Board is completely out of balance. There is one common-sense member, Mike Meier. Even though he is basically a Democrat, I totally respect him because he is not one who believes in pushing a political agenda in schools. He gets it, but sadly, HE’S THE ONLY ONE.

The rest of the board is a bunch of FRINGE, extremist Social Justice Warriors. So, Wauwatosa is left with a decision; continue with the current 6-1 extremist tilt of the current board or restore a balanced board.

It’s ALL about balance.

Luckily, Wauwatosa has three REAL options. The Three Tosa Dads get it. They are are not making these races about ideology, but about Tosa kids and about the need to change the current course. They understand that ideology has no place in Wauwatosa Schools and the recent ideological push has hurt Tosa Kids. They are running to restore common sense to the Wauwatosa School Board, they are NOT running to make Tosa Schools a ‘Conservative haven.’ And rightfully so.

This is from their website.

‘We’re 3 Wauwatosa dads who are invested in our community and our schools. We are running for Wauwatosa School Board for the academic success of all students, safe and supportive learning environments, responsible resource allocation and to make the Wauwatosa School District a destination for great teachers.’

How is this possibly extreme? Here’s a hint, it’s NOT!

The Three Dads, Daniel Gugala, Chris Zirbes, Mike Zollicoffer Jr., are EXACTLY what Wauwatosa Schools need right now.

What this does is, at least, balance the board at 4-3, favoring common-sense and stopping the extremism. But at the same time, recognizing that Wauwatosa is essentially a purple city ideologically, both sides will have a seat at the table and will have to work together to get anything done. The way it should be in a city like Wauwatosa.

Wanting schools safe from violence is NOT extreme, wanting to hold violent students accountable for actions is NOT extreme, wanting students reading at or above grade level is NOT extreme, wanting students proficient in Math and Science is NOT extreme, wanting to hold teachers accountable for student achievement is NOT extreme, and wanting to KEEP POLITICS OUT OF SCHOOLS IS NOT EXTREME.

Wauwatosa parents and taxpayers have a choice, the failing status quo, or supporting a change in trajectory. Choose wisely.