WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — U.S. Senator Ron Johnson made a stop at the Marathon County Republican Party headquarters on Sunday to help pack gift packages for overseas troops and to speak with the press.
Members of the party’s local support staff joined with the Senator to help prepare care packages for troops that were sent to the Wausau American Legion for distribution.
Johnson told reporters that he’s not too concerned about the swings in Iowa polling showing Ted Cruz ahead of Donald Trump. “The only poll that counts are the actual elections and they will be a number of elections, a number of primaries. We’ll see how the process plays out, but I’ve got a great deal of faith in Republican primary voters to make the right choice.” Johnson had previously denounced Trump’s plan to call for banning all Muslims from entering the country, but has stated he’d back whoever the party picked as the presidential candidate.
When asked about terrorism and the fight against ISIS, Johnson said the US needs to lead the way in depriving ISIS of their territory holdings in Iraq and Syria. “Because as long as they are not overtly losing, they are going to be perceived as winners, and they’re going to continue inspire these type of barbaric acts, this kind of terroristic activity.” He says that President Obama needs to be moving towards a more active role in the campaign and recreate the ‘coalition of the willing’. “I completely agree with President Obama’s stated goal, but he stated it 15 months ago to degrade and ultimately defeat defeat ISIS. I certainly have a disagreement with President Obama with the word ‘ultimately’.”
Johnson says his final message for the day is that Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men is a universal message for all religions, and that people should keep that message in their hearts this holiday season. “It’s a season of joy and peace, so let’s try to keep that peace.”
