Tim Michels
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Tim Michels is the Republican candidate for Governor in Wisconsin.
Rebecca Kleefisch would have been the stronger candidate, but the voters have spoken. That race has been run.
I’m hoping that Michels will improve in three areas to improve his chances of beating Tony Evers in the general election in November.
First, Tim Michaels must dispel the perception that he’s a part-time Wisconsin resident. (Not only does he keep track of how many nights he spends in the state, he sent his children to public school in Connecticut.) I suggest that he sell his Connecticut mansion and his Park Avenue townhouse. He should be able to say, truthfully, that Wisconsin is his home. Michels is free to buy real estate anywhere he wishes if the race doesn’t go his way.
Second, he needs to divest himself from his family’s road-building company. The argument that the source of Michels’ wealth is state-funded construction contracts will be a difficult hurdle to overcome. Perception is reality. The perception is that Michels and his family feed at the government troth.
Lastly, Tim Michels needs to go to debate school. His debate performance against Kleeisfch was poor, as he struggled to answer questions and was clearly under-prepared. The good news is that Michels reached far more people with his advertising than who watched the WTMJ-4 debate in Milwaukee. But future debates will have larger audiences and will get more coverage. Tony Evers is slow and grandfatherly. But he can’t appear to be the more-competent candidate on debate stage. Kleefisch would be an easy winner in a debate against Ever. Michels must improve dramatically.
Since I don’t want four more years of Evers, Michels is the horse I’m riding. But there’s an old saying: the jockey can’t carry the horse across the finish line.
Mr. Michels: make yourself better.
I’m Chris Conley.
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