by Benjamin Yount
Wisconsin’s race for governor is the most expensive in the country, and the race for U.S. Senate isn’t exactly cheap either. All of that money is being spent to convince less than 2% of voters in the state.
Reince Priebus, the former head of both the Wisconsin Republican Party and the Republican National Committee, said there are just a few thousand truly independent voters in Wisconsin.
“We have $200 million coming into Wisconsin, between the two Senate candidates and the two governor’s candidates, and we’re fighting over 50,000 people,” Priebus told Jay Weber on News Talk 1130 WISN Wednesday.
Wisconsin has 3,467,840 active registered voters as of July 1st according to the state’s Elections Commission.
Priebus said the ad blitz in the state is trying to get to only the voters who can be swayed at this point.
“It’s 48-48 on each side, so you have $200 million fighting over 500,000 people,” Priebus explained. “That’s how these races are run. It’s very detailed. It’s very specific. And the messaging is extremely targeted.”
That’s why, Priebus said, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Democrat Mandela Barnes are focusing so intently on abortion.
The latest Marquette Law School Poll says Evers is essentially tied with Republican Tim Michels in the race for governor. The same poll gives Johnson a six point lead over Barnes.
Priebus said the difference is that Ron Johnson is running for his third term, and Michels is running for governor for the first time.
“I think Ron is a known commodity,” Priebus added. “I think Tim Michels is a newcomer.”
But Priebus said he believes that the Republicans will win in Wisconsin together because they have been able to tie Barnes and Evers to the Left’s most extreme positions.
“I think Mandela Barnes said a lot of dumb things on the issues,” Priebus said. “He went on Russia Today to criticize your own police departments? You’re talking about defunding the police? You’re talking about, and Evers has said the same thing, you’re talking about releasing half the state’s prison population?”
Priebus added that the race for governor is close, he thinks Democrats are maxed-out.
“There is no real October surprise that is going to get you there,” Priebus said. “Gas prices aren’t going to plummet, grocery prices aren’t going to plummet. You’re not going to suddenly get every police officer saying ‘You know what, everyone is wrong. Tony Evers is great on crime.’ You’re going to get the Kenosha County executive to say ‘You know what, he was great in Kenosha.’ No, they hate him in Kenosha.”
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Reince Priebus” by Michael Vadon. CC BY-SA 4.0. Background Photo “Wisconsin Capitol” by Vijay Kumar Koulampet. CC BY-SA 3.0.
