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 the party endorsement during the convention and said it was not his time, but Johnson’s.
Johnson also said David Westlake stayed in the race despite Johnson winning the party’s endorsement, but did nothing to harm Johnson’s chances and instead focused on the general election.
“But I know what all of us, including Kevin, including Leah, want to happen,” Johnson said. “We truly want someone to represent Wisconsin that holds those ideals, that vision statement dear to their heart.”
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/
