The Republican Accountability Project has launched a new ad campaign targeting Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and 20 other GOP lawmakers over talk of impeaching liberal Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.
The group said it’s a six-figure buy that will include a 30-second TV ad on Fox News statewide, as well as spots on digital in the districts of all lawmakers targeted.
The announcement comes nearly a week after the state Dem Party announced a $4 million effort with its allies to pressure GOP lawmakers over impeachment. A spokesperson for the Republican Accountability Project said the effort is separate from what Dems are doing.
The TV ad plays news coverage of Protasiewicz’s April victory, with the narrator calling it a “landslide.” The narrator adds “some extreme Republicans in Madison” want to impeach her before Protasiewicz has ruled on a single case.
“That’s not how democracy works in Wisconsin. Here, state Supreme Court justices are chosen by the people, not politicians,” the ad concludes, urging people to call their lawmakers and “tell them not to overturn the will of Wisconsin voters.”
Those targeted include 12 members of the Assembly and nine GOP senators.
The state reps are: Vos; David Steffen, R-Green Bay; Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek; Chanz Green, R-Grandview; Bob Donovan, R-Milwaukee; Patrick Snyder, R-Schofield; John Macco, R-Ledgeview; Loren Oldenburg, R-Viroqua; Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City; Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville; Nate Gustafson, R-Neenah; Angie Sapik, R-Lake Nebagamon.
The senators are: Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield; Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton; Dan Knodl, R-Germantown; Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay; Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green; Romaine Robert Quinn, R-Cameron; Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan; Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay; and Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point.
A spokesperson for the group said the members targeted have signaled their support for impeaching Protasiewicz or are likely to support it based on past statements and votes. The group consulted with in-state contacts to identify the members.
The group’s original list included Rep. Scott Johnson, R-Jefferson, who announced on Friday that he would oppose any effort to impeach Protasiewicz. It dropped him due to his announcement.
Most of the Republicans on the list are in seats that are either competitive or could be drawn to be more Dem under new maps.
See the ad here.
See the release here.
