GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels, attorney general candidate Eric Toney, and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil visited Kenosha this week. The group spoke with police officers about their experiences during the protests, riots, and civil unrest that followed the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer in August 2020. Michels was critical of Governor Tony Evers’ leadership during the unrest in Kenosha; “Leaders lead,” Michels said. “That means get up front. That means go where the problem is. That did not happen, and we all saw the results of that.” Michels, Steil, and Toney also argued that Evers did not send enough support to Kenosha and should have sent more than the city requested after assessing the volatility of the situation.

Responding to the criticism from Michels, Evers’ campaign spokesperson Sam Roecker said in a statement, “rather than helping our state continue to heal and move forward, Wisconsin Republicans and Tim Michels are trying to mislead Wisconsinites and divide communities.” Roecker also added that “the truth is, the state authorized additional law enforcement support on the first night of unrest in Kenosha and Gov. Evers quickly acted to activate the Wisconsin National Guard within hours of Kenosha County’s request. That’s why local law enforcement and leaders from both parties praised his response.”

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