WC Wisconsin News

Tim Michels, construction executive and Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, took his message directly to the people during a recent Eau Claire campaign stop.

“Stopped by RB Scott in Eau Claire with (3rd Congressional District candidate) Derrick Van Orden,” Michels tweeted Sept. 16. “They deserve an economy that allows their business to thrive. I’ll provide all businesses with the best opportunity to succeed and grow operations in Wisconsin.”

Both Michels and Van Orden are on the ballot in November. Michels told WQOW.com that his campaign to unseat Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) is all about bringing change to the state.

"People in Eau Claire and throughout the state of Wisconsin want the same thing," he said, according to WQOW.com. "They want government to take care of them; they want government to stay out of their business. People want to go to work, raise a family, maybe go to church on Sunday and go to their kid's ball game. They want commonsense government. They are tired of the direction of leadership. They are ready for a change, and that's what I bring to this race."

Michels added that bringing about a reduction in rising crime and raising educational standards will also be key elements in establishing what his administration would represent if elected.

Van Orden said that a key issue for him is immigration and getting conditions at the Southern border under control.

"From the federal side, we have an open border,” he said, while adding that education reform also ranks as a priority for him. “We've had over 3 million encounters with illegal immigrants since (President) Joe Biden has taken office; we've had over 800,000 getaways in La Crosse, which is also in the district."

Van Orden lamented that the problems don’t end there.

"They've intercepted 3 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough to kill 680,000 people and 90% of that comes from the border,” he said, according to WQOW.com. “I know that because I went down to the Southern border at the behest of my sheriff."