GOP convention wrap up ; Mandela Barnes' big moves; Milwaukee's push for 2024 RNC

GOP convention wrap up

Remember Scott Walker?

The two-time Republican governor swept into Saturday's Republican Party of Wisconsin convention and asked his fellow delegates to endorse his former running mate, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

And guess what? Kleefisch didn't get the necessary 60% of the votes and couldn't claim the endorsement for governor.

That's a big deal. It shows just how much the GOP base might be ready for something new and how some of the party's hardier activists have moved on from the Walker years.

Instead of corralling the party's resources for the Aug. 9 primary — all those offices and volunteers — Kleefisch will have to create her own get-out-the-vote operation.

And, Kleefisch will have to go toe-to-toe with the big bucks that construction executive Tim Michels is pouring into TV spots.

Patrick Marley checks the tax records and reports Michels has millions of dollars to throw in the race.

The other two candidates can't be overlooked, either.

Kevin Nicholson, who has basically kept running since losing a 2018 U.S. Senate primary, gave a well-received speech blending personal history with his critique of what he labeled the "Madison Machine," party insiders who haven't won a lot of elections lately.

And then there's state Rep. Timothy Ranthum, who is banking on galvanizing the voters brought into the GOP fold by ex-President Donald Trump.

All in all, it looks like a long, hot summer of campaigning for the GOP runners trying to win the nomination and go up against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the fall.

Here's the story from Molly Beck on the GOP convention withholding the endorsement.

And there's quite an interesting piece on Robin Vos surviving a symbolic vote to oust him as Assembly Speaker.

Finally, there was one figure who unified the GOP: U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

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Mandela Barnes' big moves

Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes kicked his Democratic U.S. Senate campaign into high-gear with his first TV ad and a couple of campaign appearances with Elizabeth Warren.

In his ad, which is playing in the Milwaukee market, Barnes talks about the price of groceries and says he's "not like most Senators, or any of the other millionaires running for Senate."

On Friday night in Madison and Saturday in Milwaukee, Barnes appeared alongside Warren, the Democratic U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Warren said Barnes was a "progressive fighter" and called incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson as one of the "most extremist Republicans."

Warren said Barnes "is not a billionaire, cannot just write a check to fund an idea."

"Mandela from the very beginning has had to build it with $5 and $10 donations and volunteers," she said.

Also in the Democratic U.S. Senate race, Alex Lasry released a public safety plan that called for more cops on the street and tighter gun laws.

Milwaukee's push for 2024 RNC

We've got an agreement and we've got some push back in Milwaukee's bid to claim the 2024 Republican National Convention.

A key Common Council committee is due to vote on a framework agreement Wednesday with the full council set for a June 1 vote.

Five left-leaning community and labor groups are calling on city leaders to reject the convention, which has the support of Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and others.

"The Republican Party, both nationally and in Wisconsin, has become an organization that supports White Supremacists, the violent attempted coup at the US Capitol to overthrow a democratic election, and continues to engineer new ways to undermine fair and democratic elections," the groups wrote in an open letter issued Tuesday.

Even if the agreement passes that doesn't necessarily mean the city has won the battle. Nashville is the other finalist and is going through a similar process.

Here's what's in the agreement, everything from security to parking to transportation.

The full Republican National Committee is due to make a decision later this summer.

A couple of Daniel Bice columns

Daniel Bice has two interesting reports.

The first one: Billionaires Diane Hendricks and Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein are pumping $3.5 million into new group backing U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

The second one:  There's a 2021 letter from past supporters who claimed Republican AG candidate Eric Toney voted for Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden.

Around the horn

U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes shares why the abortion issue is very personal for him.

Michael Gableman, the Republican attorney reviewing 2020 election, has "run amok" and "gone rogue," judge says.

Is Ron Johnson spreading the "great replacement theory"? He says absolutely not. The Anti-Defamation League calls it "subtle."

Robert Spindell, a Republican who posed as an elector for Donald Trump, is running for chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Tweet of the week

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, reacting to the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas: "My heart breaks for each child lost and their families. How many more of our kids will we allow to be murdered before we change our broken laws to prevent them?"

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP convention wrap up ; Mandela Barnes' big moves;