just to outlaw abortion but ….
just to outlaw abortion but also vasectomies. “It will be guys, too, and guys won’t stand for it,” he said.
n Protecting the environment. Ausman said Tiffany, who receives campaign contributions from the Koch Brothers and mining interests, supports sulfide mining in northern Wisconsin and has earned his nickname “Toxic Tom.” He said a better way to power economic development in northern Wisconsin is to develop wind energy. This part of the state, he said, ranks 18th in the country for wind power potential. He said this approach would protect water quality in the Northwoods, which is vital for the area’s tourism industry.
n Supporting veterans. Ausman said he would have voted for the PACT Act which provides veterans with help from burn pit injuries and other environmental hazard illnesses. Tiffany, he reported, voted against the act. Ausman said Tiffany voted against the Gold Star Family Educational Act, which provides college help to family members of veterans. Ausman said he would have supported the bill.
n Support for Ukraine. Ausman said he supports President Biden’s aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia, while Tiffany, he said, voted against an embargo on Russian oil. “He voted pro-Russia,” said Ausman.”That would have been seen as unAmerican 45 years ago.”
n Truthfulness. Ausman said Tiffany routinely “spreads disinformation” about illegal immigration on the Mexican border and the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools to score political points. “You used to think your politicians would lie to you every once in a while, but now it’s all of the time,” he said.
n Support for democracy. Ausman said he “believes in democracy” but Tiffany does not. He castigated the congressman for voting not to certify the Electoral College votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania in the last presidential election. He said these actions meant to “overthrow the election… makes me want to throw up.” Ausman said Tiffany’s problems with the last election make no sense. “He would overturn his own election,” he said.
n Immigration. Ausman said Tiffany opposes additional immigration but that he supports having immigrants fill vacant jobs in this country. He noted that popular restaurants in Minocqua have partial hours because of a shortage of workers.
n Taming inflation. Ausman said Tiffany is wrong to blame Biden for the current rate of inflation when the causes trace back to the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He said he supports ending the tariffs on Canadian lumber in order to lower the price of American housing.
Ausman criticized Tiffany for forgetting his true Republican roots. He said Tiffany proudly claims that the GOP, the party of Lincoln, abolished slavery in the nineteenth century, but that he hypocritically was one of 19 people in Congress to vote against having Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
“You want to talk about who in the room is a Republican in Name Only (RINO)...that’s Tom Tiffany,” Ausman said.
Editor’s Note: The Tom Tiffany campaign did not respond to a request for an interview.