executive won the Republican nomination to challenge Governor Tony Evers in November. In the Republican primary, Tim Michels captured 47% of the vote, besting former Milwaukee television anchor Rebecca Kleefisch, who had been lieutenant governor under Scott Walker. Incumbent Tony Evers, a Democrat, was unopposed in his primary. Michels, a self-described outsider, spent $12 million against Kleefisch. The Republican primary contest had become a closely watched nationally as a proxy war in the 2024 presidential bids of Trump and his vice president, Mike Pence. While Trump had endorsed Michels, Pence endorsed Kleefisch.
Earlier: ALMANAC: August 2022 Wisconsin primary election
Ballot fraud tightrope
Both Michels and Kleefisch had said that overturning the 2020 election results was not a priority. Both, however, pandered to election fraud conspiracy adherents by saying they favored dismantling the bipartisan commission that runs Wisconsin elections. They also favored prohibitions on surrogates turning absentee ballots and on unstaffed ballot drop boxes.