BROWNSVILLE, Wis. (NBC 26) — There's a new Republican candidate in the race for governor.
On Monday afternoon, longtime construction businessman Tim Michels held a rally in Dodge County to officially announce his candidacy at the construction corporation he co-owns. Employees and members of the general public attended to hear what's on his agenda.
"Today, I'm announcing my candidacy for the governor of the great state of Wisconsin," he said.
The 59-year-old from Brownsville becomes the fourth GOP candidate to join the race before an August primary.
"Enough of the political bickering," Michels said. "Enough of the left and the right not getting along. We gotta bring people together."
On schools, Michels says parents need to control education. And if elected, he plans to take up a set of recently vetoed bills.
"I will sign those on Day One that empower parents to take the power away from the teachers' union and we can get education back on track here in Wisconsin," he said.
On crime, he says his brother-in-law is in law enforcement and tells Michels about how officers feel.
"I will back the blue and bad guys are not gonna like me," Michels said.
The Democratic Governors Association released a Monday statement on his candidacy.
"Tim Michels is an extremist who Wisconsinites have rejected twice before - and for good reason," it said in part. "His radical record and unethical business practices speak for themselves."
Michels previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2004 and lost.
"Together, we can win the governor's office and put Wisconsin on the right path to be the best state that it possibly can be," he said.
Michels joins an increasingly crowded field of Republican candidates. It includes Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson and Timothy Ramthun.
