MILWAUKEE – Just under two months before the Republican National Convention comes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Republicans released their list of 41 delegates to represent Republican voters.
The most notable names include former Republican Governors Tommy Thompson and Scott Walker, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, State Treasurer John Leiber, and State Senator Cory Tomczyk. Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Brian Schimming said it’s a group that comes from a multitude of backgrounds, and that’s a good thing.
“Half of our delegates are picked in the 8 congressional districts around the state,” said Schimming. “They elect delegates at their district caucuses. For Republicans, about half of them come that way and the other group is picked … by myself as State Chairman with recommendations by other folks. We really want to be as reflective of the Republican electorate and what’s going on here in Wisconsin.”
According to the Marquette University Law School Poll, presumptive Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump is slightly favored over President Joe Biden among Wisconsin voters. In April of 2024, the poll found 51% of both registered and likely voters favored Trump while 49% of those polled favored President Biden. Nationally, a similar trend was found with a majority of likely voters saying they would support the former President over the current one.
When the RNC begins on July 15th, Schimming says the delegates will have lots of administrative jobs that will eventually lead to a nomination. “Everything from resolutions, to platform, to listening to speakers. There will be some committee meetings as well the week before.”
In addition to the list of 41 delegates that currently plan on representing Wisconsin at the RNC is a list of alternate delegates. One alternate is Gerard Randall, the former secretary for the MKE 2024 Host Committee.
Schimming said he is confident in Randall, if he is called to participate in the convention.
“Gerard [Randall] was critical in bringing the convention to Wisconsin. He’s still on our Executive Board as the First Vice Chairman, which I was at one time. He was elected at district caucus, and I think he will represent them pretty well.”
Randall resigned from the MKE 2024 Host Committee shortly after the Milwaukee Public School District cut ties with him. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the District was unable to clearly identify what the nonprofit Milwaukee Education Partnership, of which Randall is a founding member and executive director, had done with MPS funds. However, it was reported Randall stepped down from the the Host Committee because of health issues.
Milwaukee expects 2,429 delegates to attend the RNC, which takes place July 15-18, with the primary events happening at Fiserv Forum. The Democratic National Convention will take place in Chicago in August.
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