WEC delays election of new chair following resignation of Republican commissioner [View all]

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2022/05/25/wec-delays-election-of-new-chair-following-resignation-of-republican-commissioner/

“I’m a conservative first and a Republican second,” he said. “Through over 30 years of involvement in grassroots conservative activism I’ve often been in the position of trying to pull my party to the right.”

“I’ll put my conservative record up against anyone in the state of Wisconsin,” he continued. “And yet, now I’ve been branded a RINO [Republican-in-name-only]. And it really comes because two of my core values are to practice service above self and to display personal integrity. And to me that integrity demands acknowledging the truth even when the truth is painful. In this case, the painful truth is that President [Donald] Trump lost the election in 2020, lost the election in Wisconsin in 2020 and the loss was not due to election fraud. Election fraud happens in every election, but not large scale fraud. And unfortunately, his close advisers didn’t have the courage to accept the truth of the election, instead believing and spreading falsehoods. And unfortunately, now elected officials, appointed officials and candidates at the highest levels in my party have refused to believe that.”

Knudson said that because of the attacks against him from Republicans, he can’t adequately represent the party on the body — which is divided 3-3 between commissioners appointed by elected officials of both parties.

Current chair Ann Jacobs, a Democrat, said Knudson’s decision was “heartfelt” and “brave.”