% >> THE FALL PRIMARY ELECTION IS
% NEXT TUESDAY, AND THE MOST
% HEATED RACE DOWN THE STRETCH HAS
% BEEN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR
% GOVERNOR.
% "HERE AND NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL
% REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ HAS THE
% STORY ON WHAT SEPARATES THE
% THREE MAIN CANDIDATES.
% >> THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
% CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR DON'T
% DIFFER THAT MUCH FROM EACH OTHER
% IN POLICY, BUT THEY ARE VASTLY
% DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF WHAT
% ELEMENTS OF THE MODERN
% REPUBLICAN PARTY THEY REPRESENT.
% >> WELL, I FEEL GREAT ABOUT
% WHERE WE ARE.
% >> REBECCA KLEEFISCH REPRESENTS
% ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS, THE
% BRANCH OF THE PARTY THAT LOOKS
% BACK FONDLY TO HER EIGHT YEARS
% AT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR UNDER
% SCOTT WALKER.%>> I INTEND TO
LEAD THE STATE
% INTO NEW REVOLUTION OF
% CONSERVATIVE REFORM.
% >> TIM MICHELS IS THE
% BUSINESSMAN OUTSIDER, PRESIDENT
% OF A LARGE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
% HE'S RUNNING AS MILLIONAIRE WHO
% DOESN'T NEED TO ASK FOR MONEY.
% >> I AM NOT INSIDE THE BUBBLE.
% THE INSIDERS DID NOT RECRUIT ME,
% AND THEY ARE NOT BANKROLLING MY
% CAMPAIGN.
% AND I'M NOT BEHOLDEN TO THE
% PACs, THE LOBBYISTS OR THE
% SPECIAL INTERESTS. I REFUSE
% THEIR MONEY, DON'T NEED IT,
% DON'T WANT IT, WON'T TAKE IT.
% >> TIM RAMTHUN IS A DIFFERENT
% KIND OF OUTSIDER, ONE FROM
% INSIDE THE ASSEMBLY.
% >> I'M BEING ATTACKED AND
% ACCUSED OF THINGS LIKE A
% CONSPIRACY THEORIST.
% NO I'M NOT.
% I JUST WANT TRUTH AND
% TRANSPARENCY.
% EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD TOO.
% >> AN EFFORT HIS OWN PARTY
% IGNORED AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
% HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO RUN FOR
% GOVERNOR AFTER REPEATING FALSE
% CLAIMS THAT LARGE SCALE FRAUD
% TAINTED THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL
% ELECTION.%>> I GOT ENGAGED,
I GOT KNOWN
% ALL OVER THE STATE AND WHEN I'M
% GOING UP, YOU NEED TO RUN FOR
% GOVERNOR.%>> RAMTHUN WASN'T
THE FIRST
% PERSON IN THE RACE BUT HE WAS
% THE FIRST TO SHAKE IT UP BY
% INJECTING IT WITH DONALD TRUMP'S
% COCONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT
% STUFFED BALLOT BOXES, HACKED
% VOTING MACHINES AND COUNTERFEIT
% BALLOTS.%>> IN MY HUMBLE OPIN
ION WITH THE
% EVIDENCE I HAVE, I CAN SHOW
% NEFARIOUS ACTS, ILLEGAL ACTS,
% FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS FOR THE
% LAST 2 1/2 DECADES.
% I GOT DATA THAT GOES BACK TO
% CLINTON AGAINST DOLE IN 1996.
% >> ALL OF THESE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN
% DEBUNKED, AND WHEN PRESSED, HE
% COULD ONLY SAY THE EVIDENCE IS
% COMING.%>> JUDICIAL, PROSECU
TIONS,
% CONVICTIONS, ALL OF THAT'S
% COMING.
% SO I'VE BEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE
% OF THE FENCE THE WHOLE TIME.
% I KNOW I HAVE IN MY HEART, I
% KNOW I HAVE IN MY HEAD.
% >> IN REALITY, AS GOVERNOR,
% RAMTHUN WOULD DRAMATICALLY
% REWRITE WISCONSIN ELECTION LAW,
% ELIMINATING THE WISCONSIN
% ELECTIONS COMMISSION, REQUIRING
% A HAND COUNT OF MILLIONS OF
% BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY, AND
% SCALING BACK ABSENTEE VOTING.
% >> THERE'S NO CHAIN OF CUSTODY
% WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THE MAILBOX.
% A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
% WE NEED TO HAVE SAME DAY, YOU
% KNOW, ON PAPER, SAME DAY, HAND
% COUNT.
% YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT
% KIND OF STUFF DONE.
% >> AS FOR THE AUGUST PRIMARY,
% RAMTHUN PLANS TO CONDUCT HIS OWN
% FORENSIC AUDIT.%>> I HAVE VE
RY LITTLE CONFIDENCE
% THAT WE WILL HAVE FAIR, SAFE AND
% LEGAL ELECTIONS STARTING IN
% AUGUST.
% WE'LL HAVE A RERUN IN NOVEMBER
% OF 2022.
% >> EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE THINGS
% WITH A GRAIN OF SALT UNTIL I CAN
% BECOME GOVERNOR AND SIGN A WHOLE
% BUNCH OF REFORMS THAT TONY EVERS
% HAS ALREADY VETOED.
% >> KLEEFISCH DOESN'T REPEAT THE
% SAME ELECTION CONSPIRACY
% THEORIES BUT HOPES TO CAPITALIZE
% ON THE ANGER AMONG
% CONSERVATIVES.%>> THAT'S WHAT
WE NEED IN ORDER
% TO ACTUALLY HAVE A REPUBLICAN
% WAVE IN NOVEMBER.
% WE NEED PEOPLE WHO, YES, ARE
% FRUSTRATED BUT USE THAT
% FRUSTRATION AS A MOTIVATION TO
% SHOW UP.
% >> IN A TELEVISED DEBATE,
% MICHELS SEEMED TO PLACE BLAME ON
% KLEEFISCH AND WALKER FOR
% CREATING THE WEC IN THE FIRST
% PLACE.%>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE
% DON'T HAVE THESE QUESTIONS EVER
% AGAIN IN WISCONSIN.
% THESE ELECTION FRAUD ISSUES
% SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED IN
% PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, BUT
% HERE WE HAVE A MESS RIGHT NOW.
% >> TIM MICHELS DID NOT AGREE TO
% A SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW FOR THIS
% STORY.
% HE'S ONLY DONE A FEW INTERVIEWS
% AND SKIPPED AN EARLIER
% REPUBLICAN DEBATE, SOMETHING
% KLEEFISCH MADE SURE TO
% HIGHLIGHT.%>> AND TO MY OPPON
ENTS, TIM,
% THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
% TIM, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP
% TONIGHT.
% MY PRIORITIES ARE OUR FIRST
% BUDGET MAKING SURE THAT --
% >> KLEEFISCH DOES NOT SHY AWAY
% FROM HER ESTABLISHMENT
% CREDENTIALS.%>> YOU KNOW, YOU
HEAR A LOT OF
% TALK ABOUT EVERYONE RUNNING AS
% THE OUTSIDER.
% WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE
% FOR KNOWING WHAT I'M DOING.
% I MEAN, I'VE SPENT EIGHT YEARS
% INSIDE, MAKING SURE THAT I KNOW
% HOW TO RUN THIS STATE, MAKING
% SURE THAT I KNOW HOW TO MAKE A
% BUDGET THAT IS GOING TO BE
% BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF WISCONSIN.
% >> THE LEGISLATURE IS EXPECTED
% TO REMAIN UNDER REPUBLICAN
% CONTROL, SO ANY OF THESE
% CANDIDATES COULD EXPECT TO SEE
% THEIR AGENDA PASSED IN FULL.
% ONE AREA THAT KLEEFISCH SAYS
% WON'T CHANGE IS THE 1849
% ABORTION LAW.
% SHE DOESN'T EXPECT TO ADD IN NEW
% EXCEPTIONS.%>> WE ALREADY HA
VE A LIFE OF THE
% MOTHER STATUTE ON THE BOOKS, AND
% AS FAR AS I CAN SEE AND TELL,
% THAT WILL STAY.
% AND THAT IS MY POSITION, WHICH
% HAS NOT CHANGED.
% >> RAMTHUN TAKES A HARDER LINE,
% AND WOULD END ALL EXCEPTIONS AND
% EVEN ELIMINATE ABORTIFACIENT
% BIRTH CONTROL THAT PREVENTS THE
% IMPLANTATION OF A FERTILIZED
% EGG.
% >> WITHOUT EXCEPTION, LIFE
% BEGINS AT CONCEPTION, LIFE IS A
% GIFT FROM GOD.
% IT'S NOT THE BABY'S FAULT IN HOW
% THEY WERE CONCEIVED.
% WE HAVE TO STOP KILLING BABIES.
% >> KLEEFISCH WOULDN'T CLARIFY IF
% SHE WOULD BAN ANY FORMS OF BIRTH
% CONTROL.%>> BIRTH CONTROL WOU
LD REMAIN
% LEGAL IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% >> ALL FORMS?
% >> IT WILL REMAIN LEGAL IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% >> SOME PRIMARY VOTERS -- THE
% ELECTABILITY FACTOR.
% MICHELS AND KLEEFISCH HAVE BEEN
% UP ON RAMTHUN IN PUBLICLY
% RELEASED POLLING BUT DOESN'T
% CARE.%HE SAYS THE SILENT MAJ
ORITY ARE
% VOTING FOR HIM.
% >> THE OTHER CANDIDATES FOR THIS
% POSITION FOR THE GOVERNOR'S
% SEAT, THEY TALK GRASSROOTS.
% CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO IT
% COMPARED TO ME.
% THESE PEOPLE ADORE WHAT I'M
% DOING BECAUSE I'M THE FIGHTER
% THEY WANTED FOR DECADES.
% >> IN THE DEBATE, MICHELS SAID
% IT IS HIS OUTSIDER STATUS THAT
% WILL CARRY HIM TO VICTORY.
% >> PEOPLE DON'T COME UP TO ME
% ALL THE TIME AND SAY, TIM, THANK
% YOU FOR RUNNING.
% I'M TIRED OF POLITICS AS USUAL.
% I'M TIRED OF THE USUAL
% POLITICIANS.
% I WANT AN OUTSIDER.
% I WANT A VETERAN, I WANT A
% BUSINESSMAN.
% WE NEED CHANGE.
% I SAY, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP
% POLITICS AS USUAL, VOTE FOR THE
% USUAL POLITICIANS.
% THIS IS OUR TIME TO MAKE A
% DIFFERENCE AND LEAD WISCONSIN
% AND GET IT HEADED IN THE RIGHT
% DIRECTION.%>> KLEEFISCH HAS A
LREADY WON
% FOUR STATEWIDE RACES FOR LOU AT
% THE PRESENT TIME GOVERNOR.
% >> IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THEIR
% DECISION ON ELECTABILITY THAT'S
% FINE BY ME BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I
% AM THE ONE WHO CAN BEAT TONY
% EVERS.%>> REPORTING FROM MADI
SON, I'M