For Immediate Release
December 1, 2017
Contact: Brad Bainum, bradb@wisdems.org
#WISEN Month in Review: Kevin Nicholson’s Nasty November
Is the out-of-state billionaire puppet hoping his recent campaign shake-up will correct a month of disastrous campaigning?
MADISON — Look, it’s been a bad month for Kevin Nicholson. U.S. Senate candidate and out-of-state billionaire puppet Kevin Nicholson on Tuesdayannounced that two top campaign aides were leaving in a major, nine-months-until-the-primary campaign shake-up (they’re leaving the campaign to go run Solutions for Wisconsin, the Texas-based super PAC bankrolled by $3.5 million from Illinois billionaire Dick Uihlein, Nicholson and Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore’s biggest megadonor.)
The week only got more tumultuous for Nicholson from there, as (1) his campaign refused to reject Uihlein and his money, and (2) the Wisconsin State Journal highlighted Nicholson’s potential conflict of interest problems, which include his receipt of $808,180 in consulting commissions from clients he refused to disclose.
But Nicholson’s Nasty November began weeks before, when he sparked a massive backlash from Wisconsin’s conservative grassroots by telling voters at a campaign event that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has a “light footprint” in Wisconsin.
After a month of difficult campaigning and tough news coverage, Kevin Nicholson seems to have hoped that a campaign shake-up would set him on a positive trajectory heading into December — but so far, at least, things are only getting worse. And at some point, Nicholson has to consider that it isn’t his staff, but himself, who is to blame.
Here’s a look at Kevin Nicholson’s Nasty November:
Wisconsin State Journal: Parts of Kevin Nicholson’s consulting career remain unknown, starting with his clients
Nicholson, R-Delafield, has shielded basic facts about his career from public view — starting with the clients for whom he has consulted. Nicholson, a principal at the Chicago-based consulting firm ghSMART, did not name his clients on the personal financial report he filed last week with the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee, a requirement for all senators and candidates…Nicholson did report to the committee that he collected $362,417 in salary and $808,180 in commissions from ghSMART since the start of 2016.
The divesting by Democrats stands in sharp contrast to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson of Wisconsin and Gov. Scott Walker who have been less willing to distance themselves from a prominent backer who is also supporting Moore…GOP mega-donor Richard Uihlein has given $3.5 million to a group backing Nicholson and also made a $5,400 donation to Nicholson’s campaign. Uihlein, who gives millions to Republicans all across the country, has also donated $100,000 to a super PAC helping Moore’s Alabama Senate campaign…Nicholson has not returned the money his campaign got or called on the Uihlein-funded super PAC, Solutions for Wisconsin, to take action. Nicholson spokesman Brandon Moody downplayed the connection to Uihlein.
The Wisconsin Democratic Party is calling on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson to disavow a mega-GOP donor who is backing both his campaign and that of embattled Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.
Uihlein has also been a major donor to super PACs supporting the Republican Senate candidacy of businessman and Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson, who is seeking to challenge Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin…Nicholson also has the backing of Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist, whose candidate recruitment and support for Moore has proven to be a headache for Republican congressional leaders.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson has replaced his top campaign strategists. Nicholson on Tuesdayannounced that a national consulting firm led by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign manager Jeff Roe had joined his campaign. Axiom strategist Brandon Moody said Tuesday that Nicholson will likely have a campaign manager in place after the New Year holiday…The super PAC has received $4.5 million from mega-GOP donor Richard Uihlein.
A Republican remake of the federal tax code bound for a U.S. Senate vote as soon as next week is being decried by Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin as a “giveaway to the wealthiest few,” while her potential GOP challengers are cheering President Donald Trump’s bid for a once-in-a-generation tax-code overhaul.
The Republicans officially running to face Baldwin next year are state Sen. Leah Vukmir, of Brookfield, and businessman Kevin Nicholson, of Delafield. Both Vukmir and Nicholson said they broadly support Trump’s push for sweeping tax changes. Nicholson sent out a fund- raising appeal to his supporters Saturday in which he urged the Senate to pass the tax bill…The move also would lead to 13 million fewer Americans having health coverage by 2027 and cause premiums on the Obamacare insurance exchanges to increase by 10 percent, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kevin Nicholson doubles down on Steve Bannon endorsement
WITI-TV: GOP Senate hopeful Kevin Nicholson supported Rosie O’Donnell’s gun control views
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson tangles with Ryan, Sensenbrenner, Farrow
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jim Sensenbrenner defends Paul Ryan, chides GOP U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin GOP candidate Kevin Nicholson says Paul Ryan has a ‘light footprint in the state’
