Conservatives give Leah overwhelming mandate for the Republican nomination with vote exceeding Sen. Johnson's margin of victory
MILWAUKEE— Winning nearly 75 percent of the vote on Saturday, Leah Vukmir was endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin. The endorsement is an overwhelming mandate from the party’s grassroots that Leah is the candidate to unify the party, beat Sen. Tammy Baldwin in November and take the Wisconsin Way to Washington.
“I got my start in Wisconsin’s grassroots,” Leah said. “After all the work we’ve done together with Governor Walker to turn Wisconsin around, it’s so humbling to have their unwavering endorsement in my race to take that change to Washington. It’s now time for us to come together as a party, and focus on beating Sen. Baldwin so we send President Trump another ally in the Senate who voters can trust to build the wall, repeal Obamacare, and defend the unborn.”
Statewide candidates need to earn more than 60 percent of the votes cast at the convention in order to receive the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s endorsement. Endorsements are historically rare, but as evidenced by both Gov. Walker and Sen. Johnson receiving them in their races – necessary to mounting a winning campaign. Endorsed candidates have access to the party’s infrastructure — including donor and voters lists, staff and field offices.
In 2010, Ron Johnson received 64 percent of the vote and became the party’s endorsed candidate, which propelled him forward to become Wisconsin’s U.S. Senator. Due to a fractured party and divided primary field, no candidate was endorsed in 2012, and Republicans lost in the general election.
“The heart of our party, our conservative grassroots, sent a deafening message today that it is time to unify behind Leah Vukmir and focus on the task of defeating Tammy Baldwin,” said campaign manager Jess Ward. “It’s time for Kevin Nicholson to respect the will of the people that have delivered Gov. Walker and Sen.
Johnson into office time and time again, and leave the race.”Leah Vukmir is a nurse, military mom and conservative with a proven record who has stood with Gov. Walker in cutting taxes and implementing bold reforms. She is running for the U.S. Senate to bring the Wisconsin Way to Washington. She currently serves as a state senator from Brookfield.