On Tuesday, Ward Baker, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, held a call with state and national reporters to discuss how the strong ground game Wisconsin Republicans have built will help Ron Johnson defeat Senator Feingold in November.
Media — including the AP, WisPolitics, Capital Times, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WSAW TV in Wausau — covered Baker’s remarks on the ground game, and on the contrast between Ron and Senator Feingold, especially on security.
Check out what they’re saying:
AP: “The head of the group working to get Republicans elected to the U.S. Senate says Sen. Ron Johnson has “perfected a one-of-a-kind war machine” to defeat Democrat Russ Feingold.” National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director Ward Baker said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday that the NRSC is committed to spending money on television advertising to win the rematch against Feingold. … Baker says Johnson’s campaign has contacted 750,000 voters and benefited from help from fellow Wisconsin Republicans Gov. Scott Walker and House Speaker Paul Ryan. (AP: GOP official expresses confidence in Johnson campaign)
WisPolitics.com: “The NRSC’s executive director today called Russ Feingold dangerously weak on national defense. … Baker said national security will be a key issue this fall, particularly in light of attacks such as the one today in Turkey and the one in Orlando. He predicted voters will conclude they trust Johnson more than Feingold on keeping America safe. ‘There’s only one person that’s more liberal than Russ Feingold on national defense, and that’s Bernie Sanders,’ Baker said.” (WisPolitics.com Tuesday PM Update)
The Cap Times: “The head of the U.S. Senate Republicans’ campaign arm pinned Sen. Ron Johnson’s re-election hopes on his national defense chops, speaking to reporters on a press call Tuesday. … In Johnson’s first term, he’s been ‘keeping his head down and getting things done,’ Baker said, highlighting the senator’s role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. … Baker also knocked Feingold as a ‘career politician who has become everything people hate about politics,’ echoing a line used frequently by the Johnson campaign. ‘This is the year of the outsider, and Ron Johnson is the outsider,’ Baker said.” (The Cap Times: Senate GOP campaign chief ties Ron Johnson’s re-election hopes to national defense stance)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “For Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, it’s now all about the ground game. Johnson announced Monday the launch of a ‘Badger Brigade’ of supporters who have committed to his campaign against Democrat Russ Feingold. Johnson’s campaign claimed the recruiting effort has generated more than 100,000 grass-roots endorsements. Since early 2015, Wisconsin Republicans have made more than 750,000 volunteer voter contacts through phone calls and door knocks, officials said. [NRSC Executive Director Ward] Baker sought to portray Feingold as a career politician, adding that the only person more liberal than Feingold on national defense was independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Baker said of Feingold: ‘He’s a man without a core and that’s why he’s running a campaign without a real message.’” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson campaign turns to ground game strategy)
WSAW Wausau: Ron Johnson’s ‘one-of-a-kind war machine’ “The head of the group working to get republicans elected to the U.S. Senate says Senator Ron Johnson has quote ‘perfected a one-of-a-kind-war machine’ end quote to defeat Democrat Russ Feingold.” (WSAW Wausau)