Anti-Trump Republican PAC Launches Campaign Against Michels

By Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

October 3, 2022

An Anti-Trump Republican group announced Monday it’s spending $1 million to run ads in Wisconsin to help defeat Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels.

The group, the Republican Accountability PAC, is tied to the national Republican Accountability Project, which is run by Bill Kristol and Sarah Longwell, two Republicans who also publish the anti-Trump media outlet, The Bulwark.

The anti-Michels ads, which are running on social media and on TV during local news broadcasts, feature Wisconsin Republicans explaining why they believe Michels is too extreme for them to support.

“Tim Michels is an election denier who is too extreme to govern,” said Republican Accountability PAC Treasurer Sarah Longwell. “Someone who can’t say if they’d certify the results of the 2024 election clearly can’t be allowed anywhere near power. We’re going to make sure he never is.”

The Republican Accountability PAC is running ads against Republican candidates in swing states across the country, including Arizona, Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

With just one month remaining until the election, the two statewide races at the top of the ticket in Wisconsin this fall have drawn millions in outside spending. The race for governor between Michels, co-owner of a construction company, and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is already the most expensive governor’s race in the country while the race for U.S. Senate between Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has seen millions in outside money come from right-wing billionaires such as Dick and Liz Uihlein and Diane Hendricks.

Polls show Evers and Michels virtually tied in the race. Election Day is Nov. 8.

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