MILWAUKEE — With Wisconsin's August primary now in the rearview mirror, the real work begins for the gubernatorial candidates who have already spent months on the campaign trail.
For Republican Tim Michels, he will have to figure out how to bring two sides of the same party together over the course of the next 90 days.
On the one hand, Michels has former President Donald Trump's endorsement. However, more traditional conservatives like former Gov. Scott Walker and former Vice President Mike Pence backed Michels' primary challenger Rebecca Kleefisch.
This isn't exactly news to Michels' team as he tried to broaden his base on stage Tuesday night.
“I'm really looking forward to working with Governor Thompson over the next three months,” Michels told the crowd gathered in Waukesha for his watch party. “He knows how to bridge the gap. How to get over the partisanship, the fighting that happens so often in Madison, and to get things done.”
Michels used Tuesday night's victory speech as a sort of call for compromise and took the big-tent approach to bolster support.
“I will never compromise my conservative principles, but there [are] so many people in Wisconsin that are feeling left behind,” Michels said. “They're victims of crime, they're victims of awful education. We will work together. We're going to make so many improvements in this state.”
Incumbent Tony Evers, who didn't face a primary challenger, told reporters Wednesday he thinks the effort will backfire.
“Trump owns him, he owns Trump and is connected to Trump,” Evers said. “That's his problem. That's not mine.”
Wednesday morning the governor sat down for breakfast with his new running mate Sara Rodriguez.
“He's not going to be able to stand in front of all these microphones today, that being Michels, and say 'Oh, I forgot to tell you folks, I'm really a moderate Republican,'” Evers explained. "That's just not in the cards. He's not that. He's taken positions that, clearly, he cannot back off of.”
Evers had several stops scheduled around the state Wednesday. Meanwhile his opponent, Michels spent most of his day at campaign headquarters, according to a spokesman.