Tom Tiffany vowed to “bring common sense” back to Madison and reverse what he said has been a nearly eight-year decline with Tony Evers in the governor’s office.

The 7th CD GOP congressman and former state lawmaker from Minocqua was formally endorsed by the state GOP today to be the party’s standardbearer. He took a series of shots at Evers and Dems in general as he vowed to take on the “failed liberal agenda.”

Tiffany said two terms of Evers have resulted in 400 years of property tax increases, $2 billion in higher utility rates, and reading scores that have put Wisconsin behind Mississippi.

“Do you want four more years of decline? Do you want a socialist who will abolish the police? Do you want higher taxes, more government and less freedom? No we don’t,” Tiffany told a convention with an announced attendance of more than 600 delegates.

Andy Manske, a medical service technician from Greendale, has also filed to run for governor as a Republican. But Tiffany was unopposed for the party’s backing since he was the only candidate to meet the required benchmarks to be considered. That includes raising at least $100,000 from at least 1,000 separate contributors by March 31.

The party endorsed Tiffany by unanimous consent of the delegates gathered in the Wisconsin Dells.

Tiffany has adopted the phrase “you betcha” in his campaign, and he asked the crowd to use it to answer a series of questions he posed. Activists enthusiastically yelled the phrase back at Tiffany when he asked if they wanted him to:

  • End Evers’ 400-year veto allowing annual increases in the cap on school spending that critics say will lead to property tax increases.
  • Root out fraud.
  • Bar selling Wisconsin farmland to China.
  • Protect farmland from industrial-scale wind, solar and “big data.”
  • Ban sanctuary cities and the “revolving door of career criminals.”
  • Restore common sense, raise educational standards and protect girls’ sports.

State Dem spokesperson Emily Stuckey took a dig at Tiffany as the “most expensive choice” Republicans could’ve made for governor “from his unfettered commitment to Washington Republicans’ MAGA agenda that drives up healthcare premiums and guts coverage, to his support for tariffs that devastate farmers and policies that continue to drive gas and grocery prices higher by the day – the Republican Party of Wisconsin endorsed a candidate who is ready and willing to squeeze every last dollar he can out of working Wisconsinites.”