Tim Michels’ Radical Views From 2004 Still the Same In 2022
MADISON, Wis. – Throughout his political career, Tim Michels has always taken the most divisive positions. From his failed Senate race in 2004, to almost two decades later, Michels’ archaic and harmful views on abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and guns remain exactly the same.
On Abortion:
- 2004: Michels maintained a dangerous, no exception stance on abortion. On an Associated Press candidate questionnaire in 2004, Michels stated, “From conception to natural death, life is a gift from God to be treated with respect and fought for, not fought to end. No exceptions.” The Wisconsin State Journal reported that Michels said it was “not unreasonable” for a mother to give birth to her child in cases of rape and incest.
- 2022: Michels’ radical views of abortion have not budged. As reported by the Heartland Signal, Michels has promised to ban “abortion pills passed off as contraception.” Michels also pledged to enforce Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban and said he would “absolutely” fire officials who did not enforce the ban as well.
On LGBTQ+ Rights:
- 2004: During a 2004 Senate debate [45:04], Michels pledged to support a constitutional amendment that keeps marriage between a man and a woman, arguing for the protection of the “sanctity of marriage.” In the same debate, he stated in reference to same-sex marriage, “I think when you bring it out of your house and onto the public street, that’s where I differ. I believe in family values, I believe in traditional family values.” Michels followed up with a clarification, telling the Associated Press that people shouldn’t have “gay values” imposed on them.
- 2022: Despite broad statewide support for gay marriage with 72% of Wisconsinites supporting marriage for same-sex couples, Michels has still maintained that marriage should only be “between a man and a woman.” He has also dodged all questions about what limits he would place on the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
On Guns:
- 2004: According to an Associated Press Candidate Survey, when asked if he would vote to renew the assault weapons ban, Michels said he would vote against it because he didn’t believe assault weapons were more dangerous than other weapons, saying “one gun is as deadly as the next.”
- 2022: Michels’ 2004 stance did not age well—gun violence is currently a public health crisis in the United States, endangering our kids in school, community events, and day to day lives. Tragic mass shootings have been perpetrated time and again with the high-powered assault weapons Tim Michels judged no more deadly than any other gun. Michels has maintained that mass shootings are a “societal problem” and has blamed the “defund the police movement.” Michels has also asserted that red flag laws will never happen in Wisconsin when he is governor, and pledged to lift current state restrictions on firearms.
While time has changed, Tim Michels has not. Whether it’s 2004 or 2022, Michels is still a divisive candidate beholden to extremist special interest groups. His sole interest is pushing a radicalized agenda that is anti-democratic and not in alignment with the majority of Wisconsinites.
“Tim Michels is too radical for Wisconsin — he is stuck in the past and will move the ‘Forward’ state backwards if he is elected,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Iris Riis. “From 2004 to today, Michels has reaffirmed that he is extremely wrong for Wisconsin. Wisconsin has a choice this fall: Tim Michels’ divisiveness and radical politics, or a leader who does the right thing for Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers.”
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