Vukmir: State GOP unity essential

May 22--About a week after winning the official endorsement of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, state Sen. Leah Vukmir made a stop Monday in Eau Claire, where she met with supporters and talked about the need to reinforce the GOP.

Vukmir, of Brookfield, and Kevin Nicholson of Delafield are seeking the GOP nod to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin in November. The nominee will be determined in the Aug. 14 primary.

"I hope that we can unify together and keep our focus on Tammy," Vukmir told about 15 people gathered at the state party's northwest field office, "because ultimately she is the reason why we are here today, to make sure we remove her from office."

At her talk, Vukmir touched on taxes, the state's low unemployment rate, immigration and Second Amendment rights. She noted Baldwin's absence from a vote on a pro-life bill -- Vukmir is a vocal supporter of no-exceptions anti-abortion legislation -- and Baldwin's disagreement with President Donald Trump's tax plan.

"Every mile I went in my car," Vukmir said, "I realized that Tammy Baldwin does not represent our values."

Baldwin supports reproductive rights, including abortion. Planned Parenthood Action Fund gave her a 100 percent rating. On the other hand, both Vukmir and Nicholson have a 100-percent rating from Pro-Life Wisconsin.

In a November opinion article for the Green Bay Press Gazette, Baldwin explained her stance on Trump's tax plan, which passed in December.

"Big corporate political donors and powerful special interests have thrown their weight and influence behind this legislation, and they are being gifted a tax plan that benefits them, while the middle class foots the bill," Baldwin wrote. "That's not right and that's not fair."

After a Democrat took over a Republican-leaning seat in the state's 10th Senate District in January, some took it as a sign of a possible "blue wave" in the fall elections. Gov. Scott Walker called the Democratic victory a "wake-up call."

While agreeing that special election was a wake-up call, Vukmir said she doesn't believe the "blue wave" is a threat.

"I don't believe there is a blue wave," Vukmir said. "I think we're going to set up a nice red brick wall that is going to stop that blue trickle."

Among those in the crowd was Joseph Szajna of Altoona, who said he's not necessarily concerned about a "blue wave" but rather that voters simply won't turn up at the polls.

"Wisconsin is strong right now. You feel comfortable," Szajna said of voter complacency. "You feel like you don't need to do anything. Unfortunately, we do."

Contact: 715-830-5828, lauren.french@ecpc.com, @LaurenKFrench on Twitter

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