Wisconsin GOP Chair Brian Schimming: How Bad of a Candidate was Francesca Hong that Not Even AOC or Bernie Could Back Her?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Tuy. This is the seventy seven WABC Mini cast.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now let's go to Wisconsin, because, of course, last night,
the big, big race that was called in the wee
hours of the morning, just a few hours ago, everybody
was wondering his Friendcesca Hank who was predicted to win
there in the race, and she did not. She lost
narrowly to David Crowley, who now is going to go

(00:31):
up against Tom Tiffany. So joining us now talk about
all of this is the Wisconsin GOP chair Brian Sheming. Brian,
were you surprised by the resultant and how does this
change the dynamic on the GOP side.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
I think a lot of people were surprised, a lot
of these pollsters. I think we had five or six
polls in the final twelve day showing her up by
over twenty points. So the pollsters at a bad night
last night as well. But it was very very close,
three thousand votes statewide. And I think part of Francesco
Honk's problem was that she didn't get the turnout in

(01:07):
the Madison, very left blue Madison, Wisconsin didn't get their
turnout there that she needed. But the other thing is
we as we mentioned yesterday, The truth of the matter
is Governor Evers, Democrat Governor Evers who's retiring, and the
State Democratic Party took out a contract on Francesca Hong.

(01:30):
The whole last month of the campaign was all Democrat
all the time. Stopped Francesca Hong, she'll lose to Tom Tiffany.
And they just barely got it to work last night.
And so what's interesting about that is we had nine

(01:51):
Democrats in this race when this thing started. It burned
down to you know, after both lieutenant governors fell off,
after bull cabinet officials that Tony Eavers appointed fell off,
we ended up with these final four. The Democrats decided
they could not risk having a DSA candidate as their nominee,
and they essentially took a political contract out on fran

(02:15):
Hang and did a political drive by on her. And
that's what happened last night.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
And you know, like you you know, it was interesting.
AOC and Bernie Sanders, who couldn't get enough of LSI
ed in Michigan. They were nowhere to be seen. Remember
they in fact said, oh, we're not endorsing, we're staying
out of this race. So I think that also played
a role.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, the usual influencers social or otherwise, including Bernie and
and AOC. I mean, as I mentioned, how bad you
have to be to have them turned in her back
on you. It's gotta be pretty bad after especially after
what happened in Michigan. So she didn't get the turnout

(02:56):
that she wanted. And we're now eighty plus dight. I
was with Tom Tiffany last night. In fact, I just
left him here a couple of minutes ago. I'm just
north of Madison at an event now, and the campaign's
charge out fundraising is going very very well. But it's Wisconsin.
I mean, we've had thirteen races in twenty six years
in this state. Think about this, thirteen races in twenty

(03:19):
six years in this state of six million people that
have been decided by less than thirty thousand votes, including
President Trump's both his victories. So it's hand to hand
to the end out here. Wow.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Well, all eyes are on Wisconsin. It is such an
important and key state and we love getting the update
from you, Brian. It's really great to have you every
step of the way. Thank you so much.