That’s all, folks

And with that, the WisPolitics.com crew is out of here. The party says attendance for this year’s convention was about 900 delegates, alternates and registered guests. That’s down from about 1,200 who attended the 2016 and 2014 conventions, according to the WisPolitics.com archives. See you at next year’s GOP state convention May 17-19 in Oshkosh.

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Vukmir wins state GOP endorsement in U.S. Senate race

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, of Brookfield, won the state GOP’s endorsement for U.S. Senate on Saturday, pulling nearly 73 percent of the vote. That eclipsed the 60 percent threshold needed for the endorsement over business consultant and former Marine Kevin Nicholson. The endorsement gives Vukmir access to party infrastructure such as fundraising lists and staff. That could be significant for the state lawmaker, who has trailed Nicholson in fundraising. In accepting the endorsement, Vukmir thanked party activists, saying they can count on her. “Let’s move forward. Let’s get this done. Let’s tell Tammy Baldwin it’s time for her to go

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Nicholson casts self as outsider in asking for delegates’ support

Business consultant and former Marine Kevin Nicholson asked GOP activists for their support Saturday, saying the party needs an outsider to beat U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, this fall and take on the political aristocracy in Washington, D.C. Nicholon likened himself to GOP U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, who have endorsed his campaign, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and President Reagan. He said n… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options. Username or E-mail Password * Remember Me  

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Vukmir recalls fights alongside party grassroots as she makes pitch for party endorsement

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, making a pitch for the state GOP’s endorsement in the U.S. Senate race, praised the party’s grassroots and recalled how they have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in past fights. That includes the battle over Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker’s push to repeal the collective bargaining powers for most public employees. She said it wasn’t just Walker and the GOP lawmakers who made that change possible. She said the grassroots played a crucial role. “It’s all of you who stood by us, you fortified us, you prayed for us,” Vukmir said. “I have never forgotten that, and I have

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Johnson pleads with U.S. Senate candidates to remain focused on Baldwin

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, made a plea to the two GOP candidates for U.S. Senate, pushing them to remain focused on beating Dem Tammy Baldwin this fall. “As you move forward with the campaign, please do nothing to harm the other candidate,” Johnson said in a speech to delegates. Johnson recounted his own race in 2010, when he officially announced for the U.S. Senate the week before the GOP state convention and went on to win the party’s backing. Johnson said in that race, Dick Leinenkugel, an exec with his family’s beer company, withdrew his name from consideration for

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Gallagher warns GOP falling behind with young voters

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, warned GOP activists the party is falling behind with young voters. Gallagher, 34, ticked off a series of findings in a recent Pew poll that found a majority of millennials identify as liberal, a significant number prefer socialism and 40 percent think the First Amendment should not protect speech they find offensive. “We’re driving my generation of conservatives into obscurity if we get complacent,” Gallagher warned. Gallagher noted how young many of America’s early leaders were in 1776 to underscore his point that youth is not an “inherently left-wing quality” and that Republicans need

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Duffy: There’s too much winning

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy told GOP activists he had a phone call with President Trump and told him there’s too much winning. Duffy, R-Weston, joked with activists it was hard to get in a word edgewise whenever he’s on the phone with the president. But Duffy said he managed to tell Trump it’s impressive that five of the top ISIS leaders were captures, three American prisoners have been returned home from North Korea, unemployment is down, economic optimism is up and tax revenues are on the upswing. “I said Mr. President, ‘I’ll tell you what. We’re winning so much, I’m

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Grothman says country finally has president who backs law enforcement

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman praised President Trump Saturday, ticking off a series of changes in the White House compared to the previous administration. Grothman, R-Glenbeulah, mocked President Obama, saying he showed respect for law enforcement by inviting Black Lives Matter activists to the White House. “We finally have a president who stands behind law enforcement,” Grothman said. He also praised Trump on immigration, saying there is now a president “who understands with open borders, we will lose our country.” Grothman added Trump has pushed anti-abortion policies, made great judicial appointments and overseen unemployment dropping to its lowest level in Wisconsin

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Walker presents Ryan #1 Packers jersey

Following Ryan’s speech to the convention, Gov. Scott Walker, joined on stage by Wisconsin’s GOP Congressional delegation, praised Ryan and presented him with a Packers jersey emblazoned with Ryan’s name and the number “1.” Photo is a screenshot from WisconsinEye video. This post is part of our coverage of the 2018 state GOP convention in Milwaukee. See the rest of our coverage here: https://www.wispolitics.com/category/gop-convos/

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Ryan says he’s leaving office knowing ‘our best days are yet ahead of us’

In his last speech before the state GOP convention before he leaves office, House Speaker Paul Ryan says he leaves knowing the Republican Party has made a difference and the best days are ahead. Ryan recounted his first state GOP convention in 1992, when he said Wisconsin was largely a blue state, and then discussed how in 2016 he watch returns come in as President Trump won the state. “It ended u… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Sensenbrenner pays tribute to Ryan

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, the dean of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, paid tribute to House Speaker Paul Ryan as the Janesville Republican prepares to leave Congress after this term. The Menomonee Falls Republican also blamed Dems and the U.S. Senate for preventing Ryan, R-Janesville, from getting even more done in his time as speaker. He slammed Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., as the… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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Dems tout enthusiasm on their side, knock GOP message

Dem Party officials today touted the enthusiasm they said is on their side headed into the fall and knocked the GOP message as Republicans met for their annual state convention. To back up their argument on enthusiasm, Dems pointed to Patty Schachtner’s January win in the 10th SD after the seat and liberal Milwaukee County Judge Rebecca Dallet’s victory last month in the state Supreme Court race. They also pointed to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s decision against seeking re-election this fall. State Rep. David Bowen, the party’s first vice chair, said things couldn’t look bleaker for Republicans. “Wisconsin Republicans are

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Hagedorn meets with GOP activists as he weighs Supreme Court bid

Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn, who’s weighing a bid for the state Supreme Court next year, showed up at the GOP state convention in Milwaukee on Saturday as he begins the process of introducing himself to voters. The state GOP has taken on a significant role for conservative candidates in recent Supreme Court candidates, including being the biggest single donor for Sauk County Judge Michael Screnock in this spring’s contest. Hagedorn, who worked as Scott Walker’s legal counsel before the guv appointed him to the 2nd District Court of Appeals in 2015, said it’s important to tap into existing infrastructure

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Republican Attorneys General Association: Chairman Rutledge stands with Brad Schimel

Contact: [email protected] 203-640-9208 WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel prepares to deliver remarks to the 2018 Republican Party of Wisconsin State Convention, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge – and chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association – issued the following statement: “Brad Schimel is a good man, deeply committed to his family – his faith – his community. People like Brad, they trust him. I do, too. You need experience to be a successful attorney general and law enforcement needs to trust you. Your attorney general, Brad Schimel, has both. Brad has been a prosecutor for nearly 30

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Johnson says Vukmir, Nicholson should focus campaigns against Baldwin

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said today he hopes that sometime after the convention the weaker GOP U.S. Senate primary candidate will drop out if it becomes clear the other is going to win the nomination. Johnson said a variety of factors, and not just today’s planned endorsement vote, should go into determining who should drop out, including endorsements from politicians, polling numbers and fundraising… Please log in to access subscriber content. If you don’t have a subscription, click here for a WisPolitics free trial and to view the different subscription options.

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That’s all, folks

And with that, the WisPolitics.com crew is out of here. The party says attendance for this year’s convention was about 900 delegates, alternates and registered guests. That’s down from about 1,200 who attended the 2016 and 2014 conventions, according to the WisPolitics.com archives. See you at next year’s GOP state

Read More »

Vukmir wins state GOP endorsement in U.S. Senate race

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, of Brookfield, won the state GOP’s endorsement for U.S. Senate on Saturday, pulling nearly 73 percent of the vote. That eclipsed the 60 percent threshold needed for the endorsement over business consultant and former Marine Kevin Nicholson. The endorsement gives Vukmir access to party infrastructure such

Read More »

Nicholson casts self as outsider in asking for delegates’ support

Business consultant and former Marine Kevin Nicholson asked GOP activists for their support Saturday, saying the party needs an outsider to beat U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, this fall and take on the political aristocracy in Washington, D.C. Nicholon likened himself to GOP U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee,

Read More »

Gallagher warns GOP falling behind with young voters

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, warned GOP activists the party is falling behind with young voters. Gallagher, 34, ticked off a series of findings in a recent Pew poll that found a majority of millennials identify as liberal, a significant number prefer socialism and 40 percent think the First

Read More »

Duffy: There’s too much winning

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy told GOP activists he had a phone call with President Trump and told him there’s too much winning. Duffy, R-Weston, joked with activists it was hard to get in a word edgewise whenever he’s on the phone with the president. But Duffy said he managed to

Read More »

Grothman says country finally has president who backs law enforcement

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman praised President Trump Saturday, ticking off a series of changes in the White House compared to the previous administration. Grothman, R-Glenbeulah, mocked President Obama, saying he showed respect for law enforcement by inviting Black Lives Matter activists to the White House. “We finally have a president

Read More »

Walker presents Ryan #1 Packers jersey

Following Ryan’s speech to the convention, Gov. Scott Walker, joined on stage by Wisconsin’s GOP Congressional delegation, praised Ryan and presented him with a Packers jersey emblazoned with Ryan’s name and the number “1.” Photo is a screenshot from WisconsinEye video. This post is part of our coverage of the

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Sensenbrenner pays tribute to Ryan

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, the dean of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, paid tribute to House Speaker Paul Ryan as the Janesville Republican prepares to leave Congress after this term. The Menomonee Falls Republican also blamed Dems and the U.S. Senate for preventing Ryan, R-Janesville, from getting even more done in his time

Read More »

Dems tout enthusiasm on their side, knock GOP message

Dem Party officials today touted the enthusiasm they said is on their side headed into the fall and knocked the GOP message as Republicans met for their annual state convention. To back up their argument on enthusiasm, Dems pointed to Patty Schachtner’s January win in the 10th SD after the

Read More »