Opponents of Republican Party of Wisconsin (RPW) Chairman Brian Schimming will attempt to change the State Republican Convention’s rules and force a vote of no confidence against him, the Heartland Post has learned exclusively.
Schimming, who faced two unsucccessful removal attempts from the RPW Executive Committee in recent weeks, has been a constant target for a faction of Republican insiders for the past year. However, the majority of the RPW Executive Committee has stood behind Schimming and expressed concern that a change in RPW leadership this close to the November election would not be in the best interests of either the party or its candidates.
Behind the scenes, presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany and representatives from the Trump White House have urged RPW to stand behind Schimming at least until after this election cycle.
Schimming’s opponents, though, are planning to use the RPW Convention as a last-ditch effort to remove him or at least highlight his unpopularity among delegates. The convention, which opens Friday and runs through Sunday at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells, will welcome hundreds of delegates and observers.
Sources tell the Heartland Post that Schimming opponents will attempt to either suspend the rules of the convention and push a vote of no confidence that delegates would have to take up or object to the rules immediately and attempt to amend them to add a no confidence vote before they are officially adopted.
Neither plan is expected to be successful. RPW had earlier eliminated the ability of delegates to add amendments, citing the length of time it takes to go through them all. The move also makes a rogue amendment targeting Schimming impossible to make from the floor.
Once the rules are adopted, the convention is expected to be rather predictable with delegates handing the party’s endorsements to Tiffany and Attorney General candidate Eric Toney, neither of whom faces any serious primary competition. While the Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State endorsements will be contested, Nate Pollnow was the only candidate to qualify for the Secretary of State endorsement and Will Martin is widely expected to win the Lieutenant Governor endorsement.
