>> 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 OPINION 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, PROSECUTIONS,
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 VERY 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 OPPONENTS, 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 HAVE 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 WOULD 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 MAJORITY 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 ALREADY 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 MADISON, I'M