Republicans Endorse Unknown, Candidate’s Positions Remain Unknown
MADISON – Today, Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate and Republican Party Chair Reince Preibus attended a luncheon sponsored by Wispolitics.com to provide “a look ahead to this year’s elections.”
Chairman Preibus however, couldn’t say anything when asked about the Republican Party endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate, Ron Johnson, and his positions on the issues.
When asked for Johnson’s stands on important issues like Bush tax cuts for the wealthy; oil drilling in the Great Lakes; the U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow unlimited spending on elections by corporations; and Paul Ryan’s plans to privatize Social Security, Preibus had no answers for his endorsed candidate.
Preibus repeatedly dodged questions about Johnson, saying simply, “There’s going to be plenty of time to ask all the questions of Ron Johnson. You’ll get your answers.”
“The fact that the Chairman of the Republican Party can’t tell the people of Wisconsin where his endorsed candidate stands on the issues says a lot about Johnson’s campaign,” said Tate. “Johnson has offered empty slogans, no solutions, and nothing more than $15 million burning a hole in his pocket. Voters deserve more”
At the luncheon today, Preibus also acknowledged that nobody at their May convention knew much of anything about Ron Johnson – other than he wanted to buy the election – before endorsing him.
In addition, Preibus explicitly denied that Ron Johnson has ever proclaimed himself the Tea Party candidate despite media reports to the contrary:
WisPolitics.com – May 19: Johnson: “I’m joining the Republican Party, and I’m taking the Tea Party with me.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – June 13: “Johnson associated himself with the movement …creating the false impression he had received a tea party endorsement. Johnson has fueled the confusion at times, talking about “taking the tea party to Washington. The situation created a mini-backlash among tea party folks who knew little or nothing of Johnson, an Oshkosh businessman who entered the Republican primary race in early May.”
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