Republican candidates for Wisconsin governor and lieutenant governor appear to be divided when it comes to Juneteenth.
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the GOP gubernatorial candidate who currently represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, was one of only 14 members of Congress to vote in 2021 against recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He was ultimately the only member of Wisconsin’s delegation to oppose it, although U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson had previously objected to it.
“My vote reflected my belief that America has one Independence Day, and that is July 4th,” Tiffany said in a statement this week in response to questions about his vote. “Juneteenth and other historic events should be celebrated, as they have been for years, but I do not support the premise of establishing another Independence Day when July 4th serves as a unifying moment for all Americans and reminds us of our ongoing work to build a more perfect Union.”
But Will Martin, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor who was endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin following its annual convention in May, said Juneteenth is “not a substitute for the Fourth of July.”
In a lengthy June 19 statement posted on social media, he also celebrated Wisconsin’s role in the creation of the Republican Party and the party’s opposition to the expansion of slavery.
“Our forefathers and foremothers bled and, in some cases, died that this nation could free millions like my great-grandfather’s parents,” Martin said in the post, which he shared on X, Facebook and Instagram. “So, on this and every Juneteenth, I celebrate how Wisconsin and the Republican Party helped the USA become a more perfect union. It is not a substitute for the Fourth of July; it is an extension of the freedom ignited across this nation 250 years ago.”
Asked about the apparent division at the top of the GOP ticket, Martin’s campaign provided a statement from him that said, “Like so many Americans, I have been celebrating Juneteenth for years and will continue to do so, regardless of its federal status.”
“What is important to me is honoring my ancestors and the soldiers, both white and black, who fought to free them,” Martin added.
Milwaukee’s annual Juneteenth celebration is one of the largest and longest-running in the nation and has been attended by candidates from both parties.
David Varnam, who is also running for lieutenant governor as a Republican, said in an email, “Juneteenth, whether a federal holiday or not, is a celebration of an important historical event in our history. Congressman Tom Tiffany will be our nominee for governor in November and I look forward to campaigning with him to champion freedom and prosperity for our residents.”
Neither Martin nor Varnam answered questions from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about whether they believe Juneteenth should be a federal holiday.
Tiffany’s campaign did not respond to questions.
Martin isn’t the only Wisconsin Republican who posted in honor of Juneteenth. Former Gov. Scott Walker, for example, noted that “the first Republican President signed the Emancipation Proclamation” in his social media posts about Juneteenth.
In another post, Walker wrote, “There would be no Juneteenth without Independence Day.”
And Eric Toney, a Republican running for attorney general, praised Martin’s post as “well said” and shared it on X.
“Happy Juneteenth!” Toney wrote. “Celebrating the end of slavery and the role our Republican Party played.”
(This story was updated to add more information.)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP candidates Tom Tiffany and Will Martin split on meaning of Juneteenth
Reporting by Mary Spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mary Spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
