Politics

Kochs Rush To Support Walker

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Jason Hopkins Immigration and politics reporter
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A political advocacy group founded by the Koch brothers is launching an ad campaign in support of Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s re-election, touting his education record while knocking his Democratic opponent.

Americans for Prosperity, a national political operation founded by Charles and David Koch, is giving Walker a boost in his bid for a third term as Wisconsin’s governor. The conservative group is launching a $1.8 million television and digital campaign that recites former praise for the governor’s education record — comments that were made from Tony Evers, Walker’s Democratic opponent.

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Evers, the Wisconsin state education superintendent, is the official Democratic gubernatorial nominee after emerging victorious in Wisconsin’s Aug. 14 primary. While serving in his position, Evers had previously offered much commendation for Walker’s education record. However, since he began his quest to unseat the GOP governor, Evers has walked back many of these comments. (RELATED: Tony Evers Wins Democratic Gubernatorial Primary In Wisconsin, Faces Walker In November)

Americans for Prosperity plans to make voters remember.

“Governor Scott Walker has been a champion for education in Wisconsin and no one knows that more than his opponent Tony Evers,” Americans for Prosperity president Tim Phillips said in a statement obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“Evers was right to praise Governor Walker’s commitment to Wisconsin students and teachers, and he’d be wrong to run from that praise for political reasons,” Phillips continued. “Scott Walker made education a priority in Wisconsin and that’s one of the many reasons he deserves to be re-elected.”

Walker, for his part, has also gone on offense since Evers won the Democratic nomination. The Republican governor took to Twitter Monday night, criticizing the state education superintendent for refusing to revoke the license of a teacher who showed pornography to colleagues while children were still in school.

The gubernatorial election in Wisconsin is considered a tight contest. Inside Elections and the Cook Political Report, two different election analysis sites, rate the race as “Lean Republican.” National Democrats believe they can flip the seat.

However, Walker has proven himself a formidable candidate, winning three statewide elections in Wisconsin in four years. He made history when he became the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall election in 2012.

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Disclosure: Organizations affiliated with Charles Koch have donated to TheDCNF.

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