Wisconsin is a battleground state during the 2022 election cycle. Voters will choose a governor’s seat open, a Senator and eight House representatives.
“In a divided state like that, I think it’s all going to come down to red or blue,” said Reid Ribble, a former republican Representative for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District. He said Republicans are smart to focus on inflation during this election.
“If you’re in rural Wisconsin can’t go gas up your pickup truck,” Ribble said. “And those things are notable people feel that and the pain of that inflation, impacts them on a daily basis. And so it’s kind of that kitchen table thing that really concerns voters, and I think Republicans are correct to lean into that.”
Ribble has publicly disapproved of views expressed by some GOP candidates and lawmakers in recent years. District 3 candidate Derrick Van Orden was at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. Ribble said he shouldn’t be able to run for the seat.
“I think it is an automatic disqualifier. I don’t think that that had anything to do with being a good American or patriot. In fact, I think it was un-American to participate in that riot,” Ribble said.
Both the Republican candidates for governor and Senate have been endorsed by former President Trump. Ribble said if they win, he hopes they don’t follow his “populist” lead.
“I would hope that Senator Johnson or any of the Republicans in the House of Representatives that are going to win, and if Tim Michaels is successful in getting the governor’s mansion, that they fall back to a more traditional limited government approach to to governing the country and governing the state,” Ribble said. “I think that that would be that would be good for the country.”