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Did Donald Trump forego campaigning in Wisconsin for gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels because he felt Michels was going to win?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

Former Republican Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels said on The Jay Weber Show on Nov. 29 that former President Donald Trump told him just before the 2022 election that he would not visit Wisconsin because Michels was poised to win. 

“He said, ‘I’m not gonna come in. You’ve got this thing. I’ve seen all the numbers. It looks really strong, congratulations,’ ” Michels said about his phone call with Trump. The former president endorsed Michels during the primary and made a campaign appearance for him in August 2022. 

Michels also recounted how many prominent Republicans — including former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and former Trump White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus — thought Michels would be elected governor as part of a nationwide "red wave." But Republicans came up empty handed in numerous key races, including Michels', and failed to retake the U.S. Senate.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
IHeart Tim Michels appearance on The Jay Weber Show — November 29, 2022
AP News Michels: Trump assured him no campaign visit needed
Wisconsin Public Radio Donald Trump campaigns for Tim Michels, against Robin Vos at Waukesha rally
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.