Tom Tiffany was made an offer he can’t refuse

Do this service for your Don(ald).

Congratulations to Tom Tiffany for getting Donald Trump’s endorsement for Wisconsin governor. Condolences to Tom Tiffany for getting Donald Trump’s endorsement for Wisconsin governor. 

A two-edged sword with no handle. Trump’s blessing will help the northern WI congressman win the Republican nomination. But he was always going to beat Washington County Exec Josh Schoemann (pronounced “SHOW man”) in the August primary election. Did not need the help. 

Will hurt Tiffany in November. Because “Be quiet, Piggy” has company: Double salsa dippers like Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino. The hooded eyelids of Stephen Miller. Kash Patel, the guy who should be wearing a double row of bandoliers.

[UPDATE: Josh Schoemann looked at the tea leaves and they spelled “Surrender, Dorothy!” No way he could win a Republican primary against a Trump-endorsed candidate. Which gives leave for us troublemakers to vote Francesca Hong in the Democrat(ic) primary as Platinum Subscriber “One Eye” suggests. We still say the Trump endorsement sounds like the tin cans they attached to Peter Graves in Stalag 17.]

Oklahoma is Trump Country!

Not Wisconsin! Lucky in his opponents, the President barely squeaked by with around 1 percent in two elections and lost (really!) the middle round. And now? Trump is upside down in Wisconsin with 54% disapproval to 44% approval, according to Morning Consult polling just a month ago.

Tiffany has to walk MAGA’s slippery tightrope, lest he incur the enmity of Timothy Ramthun’s election deniers. Kowtow to il duce and he pisses off independents trying to escape the culture wars. Blaska’s Theorem #69 says:

The Endorsement You Don’t Get Can’t Hurt You.

TT could have prospered nicely without DJT’s endorsement. Doesn’t want Michael Gableman. Should say thanks, but no thanks, to Scott Walker. (God bless Act 10 but …). Derrick Van Orden is too hot. Blaska is a known RINO.

We said in a past thrilling episode of your favorite conservative, Madison-based blogge: “If it’s time for something completely different, Josh Schoemann is pretty different.” It is our transitioning woman’s intuition that Wisconsin (maybe even Oklahoma) is jonesing for something different. Jessica McBride, who operates Wisconsin Right Now, says:

Schoemann has that authenticity, can localize the race. He has a very strong record on direct impact issues voters care about: property taxes, housing, roads, public safety, etc. He’s a veteran and young. With Tiffany, the Dems will federalize the race, or at least try.

Independents will decide

In contrast to his rival, Schoemann likely could fit his endorsements on a Post-It Note. That could work for the upstart candidate. “Nobody’s governor but yours.” If only he could survive August, when the heavy breathers of both parties decide. Schoemann won’t get any cross-over votes in this open primary state because Democrats have their own sorting to do. (Likely, their nominee will come out of the primary with a plurality under 50 percent but Democrats coalesce.)

Marquette’s June 2025 poll showed Trump under water with Wisconsin’s independent voters by 21 percentage points. An Economist/YouGov nationwide poll released this week shows a staggering 40-point spread on the wrong side of the ledger among Wisconsin indies.  

Blaska’s Bottom Line: Ask Brad Schimel, Eric Hovde, and Tim Michels what the MAGA endorsement did to them. Leave the endorsements, take the cannoli.

Do Wisconsin Republicans really want to nationalize this race?