Just days after a plane crash in Lake Wausau nearly ended in tragedy, Tom Tiffany is heading back out on the campaign trail to speak directly with Wisconsin voters.
The Republican candidate for governor will make his first public campaign appearances since Saturday night’s harrowing emergency landing, hosting a pair of Tavern Talks Thursday evening in Dodge County and Fond du Lac.
Tiffany was returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the small plane carrying him lost power on its final approach to Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot, Leonard Boltz, was forced to make an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau shortly before 9 p.m.
As the aircraft began to sink, Tiffany climbed out and swam roughly 100 to 150 feet through the lake before reaching shallow water, where he waited for first responders. He suffered a cut above his right eye requiring 12 stitches but was released from the hospital later that night.
Speaking to reporters the following day, an emotional Tiffany credited Boltz’s quick thinking and the work of Wausau-area first responders with helping save their lives. But he also made clear the close call wasn’t going to keep him off the campaign trail.
“I signed up for this job,” Tiffany said. “We’re going to finish the job.”
Tiffany will return to the road Thursday with a Dodge County Tavern Talk from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Pioneer Keg in Theresa before heading to Fond du Lac for a second Tavern Talk from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Sunset On The Water.
The campaign swing comes just five days after Tiffany found himself standing on a sandbar in Lake Wausau waiting to be rescued — and puts him right back where he was before the accident: on the road, talking with Wisconsin voters about his vision for the State of Wisconsin.
