As former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) praised the economic benefits of the Democratic National Committee’s decision to host its convention in Milwaukee, the head of the state’s Republican Party suggested the decision was fueled by the city’s “long history with socialism.”
In a statement to local newspapers — the Journal Sentinel and the Capital Times — Wisconsin GOP executive director Mark Jefferson called out Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) as well as the city’s past “three socialist mayors.”
“No city in America has stronger ties to socialism than Milwaukee,” Jefferson said in a statement. “And with the rise of Bernie Sanders and the embrace of socialism by its newest leaders, the American left has come full circle. It’s only fitting the Democrats would come to Milwaukee.”
.@wisgop executive director Mark Jefferson says Milwaukee's socialist roots make it "an obvious choice" to host the DNC pic.twitter.com/Ijo34WGVWS
— Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) March 11, 2019
Jefferson’s comments break slightly with Walker — who said the convention will boost the economy: “It’s not red, it’s not blue, it’s green” — as well as the Wisconsin Republican Party’s own Twitter feed. The account retweeted Jefferson’s statement, and then reiterated the economic benefits of the convention.
We are happy to see that @TheDemocrats are finally going to be able to do something with their convention that their policies have so far been unable to do, and that is have a positive economic impact on Wisconsin and the City of Milwaukee. https://t.co/5JVa7NOXUA
— Wisconsin GOP (@wisgop) March 11, 2019
