Wisconsin heads to polls in new Trump Republican primary drama on Tuesday — Connecticut, Vermont and Minnesota vote too

Wisconsin Republican voters will pick a candidate to challenge Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday in the latest contest in the nationwide MAGA versus mainstream GOP primary battle while Connecticut, Vermont and Minnesota also go to the polls.

Millionaire businessman and GOP donor Tim Michels has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump in America’s Dairyland, while ex-Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is running with the support of ex-Vice President Mike Pence and former Gov. Scott Walker.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addresses a joint session of the Legislature in the Assembly chambers during the governor's State of the State speech at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Madison, Wis. (Andy Manis/)

Evers has no significant primary opposition, but will face a tricky race in the fall against the GOP candidate in the Badger State.

In another Wisconsin Republican primary battle, challenger Adam Steen is not well known but has won Trump’s nod for a long-shot run against Wisconsin state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who angered the former president by admitting there was no legal way to change President Biden’s 2020 victory, according to The Washington Post.

“Steen is running to defeat your RINO speaker of the house, Robin Vos,” Trump said on Friday, using the acronym for “Republican in name only.”

“Despite undeniable evidence of rigging and fraud, Speaker Vos has taken no steps to hold the Wisconsin Elections Commission accountable, clean up the voter rolls or right any of the other terrible wrongs,” said the twice-impeached president.

FILE - Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels, left, speaks as former President Donald Trump, right, listens at a rally Aug. 5, 2022, in Waukesha, Wis. (Morry Gash/)

The highest-profile race in Wisconsin is for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), but there is little GOP primary drama as he is running without any real opposition.

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An expected dogfight on the Democratic side also fizzled with three opponents to Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes all dropping out to clear the field for him in his bid to unseat Johnson.

Democrats put Johnson, a staunch Trump supporter, at the top of the list of GOP incumbents they hope to knock off as they seek to hold control of the Senate. But the two-term conservative has defied predictions of his demise before, and insiders warn against underestimating him.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in Waukesha, Wis. (Morry Gash/)

In Connecticut, moderate Republican former state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides is battling two right-wingers, including Trump’s favorite, Leora Levy, for the right to face incumbent U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). He is considered a heavy favorite to win reelection.

The closest congressional race in Connecticut is believed to be in the 5th District, where Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes faces a potentially tricky November reelection fight against former Republican state Sen. George Logan, a West Indian immigrant. Neither is facing serious opposition Tuesday.

In deep-blue Vermont, Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who has the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), is favored to win the race to fill the Senate seat held by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who is retiring.

Lt. Gov. Molly Gray and state Senate President Becca Balint are the top Democratic candidates in the race to fill Welch’s at-large House seat. Either one would become the first woman elected to federal office from the Green Mountain State.

In Minnesota, Republican Scott Jensen, a prominent skeptic of vaccines and restrictions to limit the spread of COVID, is cruising to a win. He will try to knock off Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who faces no serious primary opposition.

There’s also a special election to fill the seat that was occupied by Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), who died of cancer last winter.

Republican former state Rep. Brad Finstad is favored over Democrat Jeff Ettinger, the ex-CEO of Hormel Foods. But the district has a swingy reputation, and voters may be confused by the fact that both parties are also holding primaries in the same district, where Finstad faces a strong GOP opponent.